About Sonshine

about_us

Sonshine Community Services has been bringing healing and hope to families in need since 1978. Our full range of residential and outreach programs specialize in developing healthy families and helping families impacted by family violence in Calgary and area.

 

MISSION

Motivated by our Christian faith, our mission is to help women and children transform their lives.

 

VISION

We envision a community where women and children live safely in healthy families.

BELIEFS:

  • We believe all individuals have the right to necessary community resources regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, age, socio-economic status or sexual orientation.

  • We believe all individuals have the right to lead a life free from domestic violence and abuse and other debilitating life stressors.

  • We believe individuals, given emotional support and much needed resources, can be empowered to recognize their own strengths and choose a safe, healthy and fulfilling future.

  • We believe all children, including children with special or diverse needs, are entitled to play, explore, love, learn, interact with others, share and be heard to in a safe and caring environment.

  • We believe family day home care can offer a child the individual attention that he/she needs for optimum growth and development.

  • We believe society has a responsibility to contribute to the development of healthy families.

  • We believe assault is a criminal offence. Women do not provoke violence, nor do they enjoy it. Neither are they to blame. No woman should be denied her human rights.

OUR COMMITMENTS:

  • Providing quality family day homes as a viable option for families seeking quality childcare.

  • Empowering families and individuals to move from unsafe, harmful ways of interacting to healthy, respectful, safe relationships.

  • Encouraging individuals, couples and families to become positive contributors in their communities.

  • Educating and supporting communities in order for them to become safer and healthier places to live.

  • Excellence as a service provider and to being an integral part of a coordinated community response to domestic violence.

 

Sonshine’s History

1978: River Park Church establishes Sonshine Centre and Counselling, to serve homeless individuals and families in their community.

1980: Sonshine Society of Christian Community Services is incorporated under the Societies Act, and becomes a registered charity with Revenue Canada in 1981.

1985: Sonshine Family Day Homes begins providing home-based, quality childcare for families of pre-school children requiring an affordable option.

1989: In recognition of the growing need of women and children fleeing domestic abuse, the decision was made to exclusively provide long-term residential support for this population.

1994: Sonshine Community Counselling is established to provide counselling on a sliding fee scale to individuals, couples and families, adding a prevention component to Sonshine’s service delivery model.

2004: Sonshine begins renovations on a new residential shelter facility, with the support of the Government of Alberta, Calgary Homeless Foundation and numerous individuals and organizations.

2005: Sonshine Family Day Homes becomes the first accredited Family Day Home Agency in Calgary.

2007: The new Sonshine Centre opens, offering 24 new second-stage shelter spaces to women and children fleeing violence. This represents over one-third of Calgary’s current second-stage shelter capacity.

2008: A domestic violence outreach and follow-up program is set up to work with people struggling with family violence issues, as well as to provide support for women transitioning back into the community from Sonshine Centre.

2012: Sonshine embarks on a $1 million capital campaign to raise the resources required for a specialized centre for children affected by domestic violence.

2013: The construction of Sonshine Children’s Centre is completed. It is the first licensed and accredited full-time Children’s Centre in Canada that is geared towards meeting the unique needs of children who have experienced domestic violence and other forms of emotional trauma.

2015: The Sonshine Children’s Centre opens, representing the culmination of Sonshine’s long-held vision to do more for children affected by family violence. 

 

Our Partners