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Neighbors Helping Neighbors

A Sun Prairie Way of Life

Our History

Sometimes small steps lead to big change. Such is the story of Sunshine Place, a nonprofit organization that cultivates community connections to spread rays of hope for individuals, families, and children in need. 

The organization began in 2001 as the vision of a group of citizens who felt called to help all citizens in the community thrive. Their vision became a reality in 2007 when Sunshine Place opened its doors as a single point of access for the local food pantry and The Red Barn, which then operated at separate sites.  

Today, Sunshine Place helps its Sun Prairie neighbors walking through hardships with approximately 148 acts of kindness per day. The 501(c)(3) organization, along with key community partners, provide food, clothing, beds, and other vital social services with respect and dignity from two Sun Prairie locations: 18 Rickel Rd. and 1632 W. Main St. 

Our Mission

The mission of Sunshine Place is to provide comprehensive services that support the needs of every child, every family, and every individual through community engagement and partnerships. Through our programs and onsite partners, we provide hope and help for those facing hardship in Sun Prairie and northeastern Dane County.

 

Our Values

We aim to ensure that everyone has a path to stability and the resources to thrive, especially those furthest from opportunity. We reflect this belief by ensuring the following values are at the core of all we do:

Dignity

Compassion

Empathy

Generosity

Inclusion

Accountability

 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sunshine Place acknowledges that inequity and injustice exist in our community. We are dedicated to actively recognizing and addressing inequalities in our policies, programs, and services.

 

Our Partners

Sunshine Place sees working together as instrumental in helping those in need. In addition to our own programs, we have partnered with other social service and non-profit organizations to bring essential services to one central location.  We want to thank our partners for being an important part of our Sunshine Place family to provide hope and help to our neighbors facing challenges. We couldn’t do it without you.

Sunshine Place partners with and supports the following organizations:

  • Centro Hispano
  • Joining Forces for Families
  • RISE – Early Childhood Initiative (ECI)
  • Dane County Madison Public Health
  • First Care Clinic

Our Staff

Your donation helps Sunshine Place spread rays of hope to individuals, families, and children in need. Sunshine Place uses financial gifts to deliver food, clothing, and necessary services to families facing hardship. Every donation is a valuable pledge that transforms lives in our community.

Ann Maastricht

Executive Director
ann@sunshineplace.org

Susan Schmidt

Director of Development
susan@sunshineplace.org

Catie Badsing

Manager – Food Security Programs
catie@sunshineplace.org

Leticia Silva

Housing Navigation Specialist
leticia@sunshineplace.org

Charlotte Kuchan

Program Coordinator
charlotte@sunshineplace.org

Carol Benzine

Financial Assistant
carol@sunshineplace.org

Carol Benzine

Financial Assistant
carol@sunshineplace.org

Carol Benzine

Financial Assistant
carol@sunshineplace.org

Our Board Members

Board of Directors

Kevin Florek
Board President
Tellurian

Tom Anderson
Board Vice President
Buck & Honeys

Kelsey Kniess
Board Treasurer
QBE Insurance

Jim Ternus
Board Secretary
Strand Associates, Inc.

Mike Crooks
von Briesen & Roper s.c.

Hilde Felsing
Sun Prairie Food Pantry

Brad Fulton
Caliber Law LLC

Meme Kintner
Sun Prairie Food Pantry

Deb Krebs
Bank of Sun Prairie

Dan Piorkowski
Tellurian

Joseph Schuch
Bank of Sun Prairie

Mark Thompson
Sun Prairie Food Pantry

Help a Neighbor by Donating Today!

Your donation helps Sunshine Place spread rays of hope to individuals, families, and children in need. Sunshine Place uses financial gifts to deliver food, clothing, and necessary services to families facing hardship. Every donation is a valuable pledge that transforms lives in our community.