Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Stewart.
Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I began working for Spreading Sunshine March of 2023. It’s a wonderful local non-profit that supports families that are affected by chronic/critical pediatric illness. What began as a simply a job has developed into a love for this meaningful ministry.
Hospitals are wonderful about providing care while you are inpatient, but there’s a huge need for families who are adjust to a new way of life with a child with a new diagnosis or just the overwhelming factors of having a child who has frequent hospital visits/stays. This where where Spreading Sunshine steps in. This amazing organization walks alongside the family to provide practical, spiritual and emotional support. Another neat thing is how we support the WHOLE family, not just the sick child and primary caregiver. We do this by including other family members in our programs, our mailings and providing events for our families where all members of the family can be seen, supported and encouraged. We also provide free breakfast every Tuesday morning at the FedEx Family house, a monthly dinner at the Heart Institute at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and provide snack bags for families.
The story that really sparked the change in me from job to passionate ministry was when I heard one of our moms tell her story. She had a child that had a degenerative disease that slowly took away his ability to function. She talked about how she felt lonely and isolated as she was her child’s primary caregiver. Her family and her few friends that were still around wouldn’t accept that this was a terminal diagnosis and she really didn’t have a true support system. This mom was referred to Spreading Sunshine by a social worker and after spending time with some of our employees, she finally reached out and accepted help. The only help she wanted was what affected me most…she just wanted someone to sit and talk with her over breakfast from time to time. A safe place to land. Spreading Sunshine served her and her son for 4 years and he passed away recently. Our team continues to support her and reach out to her and wrap her in love.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
obstacles would be that there is a great need, especially in the Memphis area. With the amazing hospitals we have here, there are also many families facing pediatric medical crisis who need support. Spreading Sunshine has a small staff and a fabulous team of volunteers who help multiply our work. Funding for our services come from individuals who make donations, church and business partnerships. We currently work out of a small office and dream of having a future Sunshine House where we can host our families and provide greater services with deeper impact.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m the Program Director and Volunteer Coordinator at my job. Most of what I do is behind the scenes, supporting our staff to allow them the freedom and ability to go out and do the important work…supporting families in need. My responsibilities are to set up and coordinate projects, prepare mailings, events, network and connect with potential and current donors/sponsors, and reach out and screen potential volunteers and keep things running in the background.
I’m very detail and task oriented. I’m proud of how my efforts in the background support our staff members who have the skill to directly support our families.
Pricing:
- $19 donation to Spreading Sunshine Helps provide breakfast and dinner to families whose children are in the hospital.
- $35 – Helps support a family with monthly mailings, emotional, and spiritual support for a full year
- $50 – Helps deliver carefully curated Sunshine Boxes to children and parents.
- $75 – Helps offer in-person care and resources to a family in need.
- $100 – Helps sponsor five people to attend a Sunshine event or a day of respite for a caregiver.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://spreading-sunshine.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spreadingsunshineboxes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spreadingsunshine1920
