Get Involved: Project Sunshine
by Nobel Chan
Each year, over 3 million children are hospitalized in the United States, often causing great emotional and mental distress. For many of these young children, a hospital can be an isolating place without much reason to smile. That is what Project Sunshine aims to change; with the help of their dedicated volunteers, this organization works to provide support and happiness to child patients in hospitals, spreading cheer to those who need it most.
The BU chapter of Project Sunshine primarily works with two locations: the Boston Medical Center and the Boston House. Volunteers who visit the Boston Medical Center help comfort the pediatric patients, doing activities with them and providing general companionship. Those who go to the Boston House prepare and cook a meal for the tenants there, who are the families of children with cancer. Sending Sunshine is an additional program where volunteers create activity kits to send to children in hospitals, including things such as masks, dolls, and colouring books.
“I did a lot of community service in high school and I hadn’t found an opportunity to continue that in college,” Natalie Dormer, a senior majoring in Neuroscience and the current treasurer of Project Sunshine said. “So I heard about Project Sunshine, and thought it sounded like a good way to get involved with the community. I like going and seeing the kids, hanging out with them and making them smile. I think that’s the most rewarding part.”
Ayna Molina, a freshman who just joined Project Sunshine, also saw the organization as a good way to get involved. “I’m a swim instructor during the summer, so I’ve taught toddlers to teenagers, and I’ve seen how a lot of their family situations aren’t exactly the best. And so I want to do something about it,” she said. While making a Sending Sunshine kit, she joked that “I like stickers, stickers seem like fun! This seems like a fun thing I would want to do, so it’s even more fun for a kid.”
With over 50 college chapters in the United States, as well as several international programs, Project Sunshine is serving more children than ever. They serve more than 171,000 parents and families, and currently employ more than 18,000 volunteers. Natalie Waldron notes that volunteering with Project Sunshine has taught her many things. “I’ve learned a lot more about how important it is to be there for people who might not be in the best place,” said Waldron. “Even if you’re just hanging out with them and cooking them dinner, that sort of thing means a lot, and you get just as much out of community service as the people you’re helping.”
If you want to get involved with Project Sunshine, email psat@bu.edu or visit their Facebook page called ‘Project Sunshine: Boston University’. Coming up on March 3 is their Lucky Strike fundraiser, with details on the Facebook page. For more information on Project Sunshine in general, visit https://projectsunshine.org/.