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A letter to our website visitors:

  My name is Marilyn Murphy, and I am the Executive Director of the Sunshine Connection, a consumer-run organization (CRO) serving persons in Topeka, KS, who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness. The Sunshine Connection is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established in July of 1995 and is located near Atria Hearthstone at the corner of 6th and Saline in Topeka. The building used to be Tom’s Restaurant and Lollipop Lane. A record high number of individuals are being served each month and membership continues to grow! This past quarter we served 143 different people.

The Sunshine Connection provides the following services:

 

• Peer counseling                              

• Volunteer opportunities

• Healthy meals                                                

• Social events and parties

• Educational and recreational groups       

• Community field trips

• Outdoor summer events

• Holiday activities

• Community outreach

• Transportation

• Friendships

 

 

The Sunshine Connection is seeking donations to help us purchase a van. We have currently saved about $4,500. In order for Sunshine Connection members to take part in and receive services, most require assistance with transportation. Some are physically challenged. We also pick up members from the Nursing Facilities for Mental Health (NFMH’s). Over 98% of the members live on Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and do not have cars. Using our van, which only transports six passengers at a time, to get a ride to Sunshine Connection is many of the members’ only way to get here if they are unable to take the bus. Some members who are able to take the bus do, but others are unable to physically use the bus, so they get a ride from our drivers. Members are picked up at 8 AM and brought to Sunshine, and then about 3 PM are taken back home.

Having van problems, as we do, greatly limits the number of members who are able to participate daily and in the outings, and it takes several trips to get them to Sunshine and back home.

The Sunshine Connection is totally funded by grants and donations. Your donation will help us serve the increasing number of Topekans seeking the services of the Sunshine Connection. Won’t you please Have a Heart and donate to Sunshine Connection? Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

Marilyn Murphy

Executive Director

Yes, I’d like to help the Sunshine Connection!

 

Enclosed is my check (payable to Sunshine Connection)

 ​$25____      $50 ___  $100   Other $______   

 

Donor name: _________________________________

 

Address: ____________________________________

 

City/State/ZIP ________________________________

 

Phone # (optional) ____________________________

 

Email address (optional) ________________________

                    

Thank you

The Sunshine Connection

3434 SW 6th Ave

Topeka, KS 66606

Donations can be made by mail and in person to:

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Sunshine Connection, 3434 SW 6th Ave, Topeka, KS 66606.