Spirit of Giving
The Sun Prairie Spirit of Giving Program matches families in need of gifts for their children during the December holiday season with community members who want to help. This program provides assistance to families who live in or attend the Sun Prairie Area School District. See sections below for more details on getting help or sponsoring a family this holiday season.
*As of 12/1/23: All registered families have been sponsored for this season. Thank you to the community for your generous support! If you are interested in supporting this program beyond family sponsorship, please consider making a donation to help cover the cost of gift giving supplies. Thank you!
Please email spiritofgiving@sunshineplace.org if you have questions.
Spirit of Giving | I Need Help
Families wanting help, with children ages birth-18 and either attending school in the Sun Prairie Area School District or living in the city of Sun Prairie (if your child/ren do not attend school because not school-aged, home-schooled, etc.), can apply on-line starting November 1st through November 15th.
If your family has applied for and qualified for the free or reduced lunch program for the current school year, you will be contacted by the Sun Prairie Area School District Nutrition Department by phone, text, and/or email by November 1st with information on how to register your family in the Spirit of Giving program.
If your family lives in Sun Prairie and did not apply or qualify for the free and reduced school lunch program but are in need of assistance for the holidays, please contact spiritofgiving@sunshineplace.org.
FAMILY SCHEDULE:
- Family registration is open November 1st through the 15th.
For families who submitted an application:
Family Gift Pick up:
WHEN: The second Saturday of December between 8AM and Noon.
WHERE: 1632 W. Main Street (Sunshine Supper building at Sunshine Place)
Please watch for signs directing traffic on the day of pick up.
You will receive an email with your confirmation FAM number and pick up information. This email is REQUIRED for gift pick up.
If the registered family member cannot make it this date, they should send someone with the Spirit of Giving confirmation email to pick up gifts for you. All gifts must be picked up on distribution day, the second Saturday in December between 8AM and Noon.
Spirit of Giving | I Want to Help
You can help by signing up to sponsor one or more families to help provide gifts for their December holiday celebrations! Community members sponsor families so that each child receives a gift for the holidays.
This program is a true community effort! We also partner with many area churches to get the children on our list sponsored for a gift. If you choose someone to sponsor at your church, you are probably working with the Spirit of Giving Program and helping Sun Prairie kids. Many area businesses and organizations also support our program each year, by donating funds and sponsoring children.
2023 SPONSOR SCHEDULE:
- November 16 – Database of families to sponsor opens. A link will be posted on the top of this web page.
- December 6 -Unwrapped gifts from sponsors are due at Sunshine Place, 1632 W. Main Street (Sunshine Supper space) to be prepped for distribution.
Please email spiritofgiving@sunshineplace.org if you have questions or would like more information.
Here’s how the Spirit of Giving Program works:
November 1st to 15th families in need can register for the program and submit gift wishes for their children. November 16th the database opens (accessed via this website) that shows the specific wishes of hundreds of kids. These are all Sun Prairie families who qualify to participate. Names are kept anonymous but age, gender and school are listed.
Community members can choose children to sponsor by family (we will have families with 1 child or multiple children). Sponsors should plan to spend about $50 per child. Families get sponsored very quickly, but the database will remain open until the first week of December.
Once you sign-up to sponsor, you’ll receive information about when to bring your unwrapped gifts to 1632 W. Main Street (Sunshine Supper space at Sunshine Place) so that we can get them ready to give to the families.
Gifts are distributed on the second Saturday of December. Families drive through the parking lot of 1632 W. Main Street (Sunshine Supper building) to receive their gifts, never even needing to leave their cars! Volunteers work together to make it easy for our sponsored families to receive their gifts.
Want to Donate to Spirit of Giving?
Please click the button below and enter “Spirit of Giving” in the Donor Note