[**For Information About our Annual 2023 Golf Tournament, CLICK HERE!**](https://www.sunshine.us/signupgolf)
[**For Information About our Annual 2023 Golf Tournament, CLICK HERE!**](https://www.sunshine.us/signupgolf)

Sunshine Village

Everyone Shines

As Sunshine Village enters its 56th anniversary year – we are looking forward to more GREAT days!

Watch for our commercials on WWLP Channel 22 and The CW!  The spots are just a snapshot of Sunshine Village – where great days begin!

Our CBDS and Employment programs welcomed surveyors from the Department of Developmental Services Office of Quality Enhancement in late February and two surveyors from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) – a national accrediting body – visited us in mid-March.  We will report on the outcomes from both of these reports through our Performance Management System reports – which are posted on this website.

We are continuing our INCLUSION efforts – helping people who want to work and earn minimum wage (or higher!) in integrated community-based jobs on their own (if they can safely work by themselves) or in small groups.  Our “Bringing the Community To Us” program is flourishing within our Day Habilitation programs – and we continue to help people become more engaged in their communities with volunteer opportunities – including with many HOPE projects that brighten the day of so many people.  Our CBDS programs continue to expand the number and types of work-based learning experiences and opportunities.

Not everyone has returned to Sunshine Village – and we are working on this issue that affects Sunshine Village – and so many other agencies like Sunshine Village.  This fiscal year, some regulations changed and Sunshine Village responded by changing our staffing models.  We are no longer offering small group supports (2:3 or 3:4) in our day habilitation programs.  This response has limited our space and increased challenges with our staffing – but we are meeting it successfully.

Hopefully, through our upcoming Strategic Plans for Fiscal Years 2024, 2025 and 2026, we can create the opportunities for all clients who require more than universal supports to return – and welcome new clients who need more intensive supports too.

We are grateful for our partnerships with the Holyoke/Chicopee, Springfield/Westfield and South Valley area offices of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) as well as many local school systems.  We are thankful for the expertise offered by the volunteers on our Board of Directors and the on-going commitment from our dedicated, caring employees.  AND we are gratified by the continued support we receive from our community.

THANK YOU for supporting Sunshine Village and all we do to deliver on our promise of a GREAT day!

Great Days at Sunshine Village

The world of Sunshine Village is so important to the parents who send their adult children off each day. We recognize this, and our continual goal, our unwavering promise and the gold standard we strive for is: Make every day a great day. In all of our programs and at each of our locations, Sunshine Village provides opportunities to live and learn, work and earn, give and grow.

We believe great days are made up of small moments that hold the potential for the largest of triumphs. A great day might take shape at work, at that moment when a co-worker says “thank you” for a job well done. It might happen the moment a ripe carrot is plucked from the ground, after being tended for weeks. It could come at the end of the day, when two friends hug good-bye before exchanging an enthusiastic “See you tomorrow.”

Schedule a tour today by emailing us at: visitus@sunshine.us

Autism Spectrum Disorder Services

Sunshine Village has developed an innovative and inspiring curriculum to help young adults on the autism spectrum express themselves, engage in the community and develop a sense of autonomy. Our supportive, safe environment encourages exploration and growth. We learn about literature and language through book clubs and travel events; develop math and reasoning with culinary arts and financial literacy. These services are augmented with multi-disciplinary clinical supports including speech, occupational & physical therapy, nursing as well as a dedicated team of behavior analysts.

See all programs

Kind Words

“My son’s days are busy and productive. He participates in a variety of volunteer, vocational and community based experiences that are fulfilling to him. After being in the program for over a year, my son still gives me positive feedback daily about what he is doing. He looks forward to going to Sunshine Village every day”.Mindy Brodecki, Parent
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Samantha and Jonathan, two hardworking and dedicated employees. They showed respect to their fellow employees and were an asset to the team. Whenever a project needed to be accomplished, you could count on Samantha and Jonathan to get it done. Their positive attitudes make them a joy to work with. I am sure that they will soar in any future endeavors they chose to follow".Pamela M. Barrett, Manager
“Nathan loves the program! I wish I had gotten him in sooner. We all needed for Nathan to find his spot. He did - it’s amazing!"”Janet Prunier, Parent
"We began having a group of Sunshine Village adults volunteer their time in our food pantry. They help every week to unload deliveries from the Food Bank and organize and shelve our food which feeds 80-120 families every week. In addition, they have been more than willing to help with other projects…they not only help us in our work to serve our neighbors, but also bring so much joy to the House…they make us smile and laugh every time they are here. Their happiness and laughter is contagious and we're so grateful to have them as a part of The Gray House...thank you for the work that you and your team do that extends so far into our community."Teresa Spaziani, Liberti, Executive Director of The Gray House
"I looked at many sites before finding the Autism Program in Springfield. This is a perfect fit for my son. He needs to stay busy, but have choices about what he does during the day. This program offers the right mix of activities, skills, and creativity to keep him interested and active. Both Chris and I are very happy with the program."Anne, Parent
“I feel like a rich man, that I’m sending my son to the best place that money can buy and I’m by no means a wealthy man.”Steve C., Parent