2022 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2022
PLANT. WATER. INCREASE.

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LETTER FROM OUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR...
As I reflect on 2022, I am in awe of God‘s goodness and his grace. For Sunshine
Gospel Ministries the song that says, “He is a Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise
Keeper, Light in the darkness my God that is who You are”, sums it up. For
youth, families and BridgeBuilders it has been a year of resumed in person
programming, in person outdoor/indoor community events and collaborative
engagement. This Fall 2022, our youth programs are at capacity with
a waiting list. Our programming with teens, families and guests have continuously
grown and served in new impactful ways. Our Sunshine Team
has persevered and been faithful in their pursuit to love and be obedient to
their calling and commitment to love and serve others with excellence. I am
proud and it brings me joy to serve alongside them.
Our ministry theme for 2022, that will also continue in 2023, is Seeds of Faith:
Plant, Water, Godly increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).
During 2022, we broke through COVID’s looming barriers of fear and uncertainty, and are trusting God
earnestly as we have been planting seeds!
We’ve been blessed to spend significant time with our community; attending events, hosting events,
engaging in conversations to hear concerns and needs in the community, and casting vision together
for our new Sunshine Community Center Project! We joined with community partners in providing additional
programming for families to help combat health inequities related to mental health, physical
fitness and nutrition. Additionally, we have addressed the housing need by researching, planning and
developing models for deeply affordable housing and support (education and other resources) for
sustainability, homeownership and neighorhood revitalization. And
finally, we expanded our reach and capacity, support and advocacy
for gunshot wound survivors and their families in our community.
We are so thankful and forever grateful for the financial support
and prayers of our Sunshine Family and Friends. Your consistency
allows us the opportunity to serve and sustain our mission and live
into our vision. We pray that as we grow and increase our outreach
that you will continue with us. Keep us in you prayers - pray with us
for general and programmatic operations, open staff positions, volunteers,
funds and donations of building supplies and materials for
building affordable homes in Woodlawn for indigenous residents. I
have heard it said, and I truly believe, “Love wins, prayer works and
God is able.”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEW SUNSHINE COMMUNITY CENTER
YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAMMING
FLOURISHING COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
FAMILYHOOD PROGRAMMING
HOUSING EQUITY INITIATIVE
BRIDGEBUILDERS SERVICE LEARNING
HONORING THE HAMERNICK LEGACY AND
ANNUAL FINANACIALS
3-6
7-8
9-10
11-12
13-14
15-16
17-18
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RICHARD WILSON
BOARD CHAIR
KIM LODEWYK
VICE CHAIR
JAY SCHOMMER
TREASURER
WENDELL DAVIS
SECRETARY
TUAN HUYNH
TRUSTEE
PETER KISLUK
TRUSTEE
CATHY MCNEIL-STEIN
BOARD CHAIR
TIFFANY ALLEN
TRUSTEE
KIMBERLY SALLEY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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BREAKING GROUND IN 2023!
Since our earliest days, Sunshine has been
deeply imbedded in the communities we
serve. From our first location on North Clark
St. (1905-1970) to Cabrini Green (1970-2001)
and most recently West Woodlawn, our dedication
to be a physical presence in the work,
play, and worship of the communities we reside grows
with each passing year.
We are so excited to announce that the “seeds of faith”
planted 20 years ago in the Woodlawn community are now
flourishing into a new 75,000 sq ft Community Center! As
our programming has expanded over the years, the need
for larger and more functional space has also grown. The
Sunshine Community Center will offer community fitness
space, shared office space that we can also extend to
other non-profits in our community, youth outreach programming
space, senior programming, space for community events, and retail space.
With the support of State Representative Lamont J. Robinson, Jr., the City of Chicago, our local
20th Ward Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, and key individual supporters we have the funding in place
to break ground on this exciting new center, located just blocks away from our current buildings!
“THE ROLE OF THE SUNSHINE COMMUNITY CENTER,
SIMPLY STATED, IS TO FOSTER COMMUNITY THRIVING
AMONG OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
ALONG MLK DRIVE!”

The new
location is just
blocks away from our
current Sunshine
buildings! The site is currently
a vacant 4 acre lot
on the southwest corner
of MLK Drive
and 60th St.
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The proposed 75,000 sq ft outdoor
space would include basketball
courts, a court yard, play area, and
perimeter garden!

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20,000 sq ft of fitness space
including a dance studio, fitness
room, and two indoor
basketball courts
MAIN LEVEL
18,000 sq ft of shared office
space with Sunshine Gospel
staff, Sunshine Enterprises
staff, other non-profits, and
private therapist spaces
SECOND FLOOR
2,000 sq ft of retail space for
cafe and proposed demonstration
kitchen
3,000 sq ft of multipurpose
space to be used for entrepreneur
training, pop-up retail
space, community events,
and private function rentals
10,000 sq ft of youth and senior
programming space
THIRD FLOOR

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Proposed budget
PROJECT PARTNERS

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Our new Youth Outreach dance team performed at the fall Woodlawn Festival “Black Wallstreet”
“Sunshine is a safe place. Once
gang members saw you were a
part of Sunshine, they left you
alone. It saved our lives.”
-Demetrius Crawford

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Our Youth Outreach Program currently has a waitlist.
The reputation continues to build in the community
as a place of belonging, mentorship, discipleship,
and enrichment for youth. Woodlawn youth
(K-12) fill our buildings every day as they participate in
after-school programming, dance team, basketball club,
student council for middle school students, WorkLife,
and bible studies.
But perhaps the most rewarding sucess is hiring 5
program assistants this year, all of whom are former
Sunshine youth!
Seeds that were planted years ago, watered through
mentorship and discipleship from Sunshine staff and
support of our volunteers and donors, are now seeing
the increase as these young adults are eager to pour
into the next generation. Elementary Program Coordinator
Mariah Price shares her experience, “Sunshine is
a place where I’ve grown in my faith, as a leader, and as
a person. It’s a vital asset to Woodlawn’s community. As
a child, I went to Sunshine Cove two consecutive summers.
I also participated in Writer’s Block led by CW Allen.
I vividly remember experiencing Christ on a level
that was catered to me as a 9 and 10 year old. Although
I grew up going to church, Sunshine added to that experience.
Sunshine Gospel Ministries is more than just a
job to me. I enjoy working on my team-we’re more like
family. I especially enjoy working with the kids in our
community. It means a lot to know that I’m making an
impact in our kids’ lives.”
Youth Outreach Program Assistant Demetrius Crawford
was raised in West Woodlawn and attended Sunshine
programming since he was young. To say Sunshine
impacted his life would be an understatement. “As a
kid, Sunshine impacted me in many ways. We grew up
in the hood and most people were committed to gangs
and violence. Sunshine helped me to get away from this
violence. Sunshine is a safe place. Once gang members
saw you were a part of Sunshine, they left you alone. It
saved our lives. It has been inspirational to me to see
Sunshine go from 20 kids to 100+ kids. Sunshine allowed
for us to understand what was beyond just the
corner, the block, and the neighborhood. It made my understanding
of the world broader.”
Demetrius Crawford is a former Sunshine youth who is
now one of our Program Assistants
As funding for the arts and extra-curriculars is not available
to many of our students through their schools,
Sunshine is stepping into that gap. We are blessed to
expand opportunities for our youth through a variety of
new community partnerships.
• Growing Home in Englewood provided participants
with the opportunity to learn more about food nutrition
through gardening.
• YMCA in Woodlawn provided swimming safety
lessons for our youth
• Redwood Literacy Program and Math Circles of
Chicago provided academic enrichment in the areas
of reading and mathematics.
• YoungLife partnership led to a collaborative basketball
program that staff from Sunshine and
YoungLife created
• Off the Pews offered photography classes to 10
of our youth
Our staff also piloted some new initiatives- a dance
team, a Junior Counselor Program for Sumer Programming,
and a Parent Advisory Committee. The
dance team was led by former Sunshine youth and
current Elementary Program Coordinator Australia
Anderson. The Junior Counselor Program identified
high school freshman and sophomores and they received
leadership training, worked in our elementary
program, and receive a stipend.
As our programs continue to expand, we look forward
to moving into the new Sunshine Community Center,
which will allow us to increase our capacity by 300%.
Our staff continues to pour into their community.
God is blessing the years of faithful planting and watering.

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“FCI RECOGNIZES THE UNIQUE
BARRIERS THOSE IMPACTED BY GUN
VIOLENCE ENDURE, AND WE HELP
CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE
TRAUMA INTO A PATH OF SUCCESS.”
-VANESSA KNOX, CASE MANAGER
The seeds for Flourishing Community
Initiative (FCI) were planted in
2020 in response to the desire to
further step into community solutions
to gun violence. In the coming
years, the foundation for the program
was watered as we hired a Case Manager
and Violence Intervention Specialist to provide
wrap-around services to support survivors of
gun violence in overcoming trauma. This works
to reduce the reality of retaliatory violence in the
city of Chicago. In 2022, this initiative served 23
individuals/families.
Flourishing Community Initiative envisions a
community that inspires youth and residents to
live with pride as well as in harmony and purpose
with one another; where the sounds of
gunshots have been replaced by the sounds of
organizing, collaboration, laughter, and learning.
The overarching goal of FCI is to restore neighborhoods
where the common elements of trust,
healthy relationships, and mutual reconciliation
can be experienced by residents, youth, and law
enforcement alike.
Justice and equity are intertwined. You cannot
have justice without equity and vice versa. Sunshine
Gospel Ministries acknowledges that equity
recognizes that we do not all start from the

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same place and must acknowledge, identify, and
provide different supports to adjust for the disparities.
Through our violence intervention work,
we individually assess our client’s needs and
create an action plan to provide interventions
and support that will adjust for their disparities.
Our programs and services seek to meet needs
related to social determinants of health, which
are inclusive of economic stability, neighborhood
and physical environment, education, food,
community and social context, and the health
care system.
FCI piloted and implemented a community event
for families who have been affected by gun violence.
We are also working on solidifying partnerships
with street outreach programs that can
provide more referrals for follow-up services.
Research informs us that addressing these
social determinants are key to reducing disparities
within our neighborhood. Collaborative
partnerships allow our survivors of gun violence
access and opportunity to impactful possibilities
such as employment, affordable housing,
healthy food, community engagement and support
systems, as well as quality healthcare options
that address follow up and long-term care,
preventative care, and mental health.
One of the highlights in 2022 has been the expansion
of our community engagement efforts
through formalized event offerings. In April, FCI
led a youth empowerment event which was a
great success! This event was a collaborative
effort with 15+ organizations. Over the summer,

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“THROUGH THE WOMEN’S BIBLE
STUDY I AM NOW SEEING THERE
IS PURPOSE IN MY PAIN.”
-MOTHER WHO LOST HER CHILD TO GUN
VIOLENCE 8 MONTHS AGO

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FAMILYHOOD FACILITATES
RICH COMMUNITY
Reflecting on the past 4 years of growth for Familyhood,
Director Sasha Simmons is humbled that “All
the programs that have been born out of Familyhood
are a testament to God’s faithfulness.” In 2018, the seeds for
Familyhood were planted when the program came under the
organization of Sunshine Gospel Ministries. At the time, the
program started with one Raising Highly Capable Kids cohort.
These programs were watered through the consistent work
of building relationships and the financial support from our
donors. And God gave the increase.
This year we have piloted Your Money Matters, a financial literacy
course that was requested by our families. It is led by
Tiffany Allen, a financial advisor for Prudential. She joined
our SGM board in August of 2022 and will assume the role of
Treasurer in 2023! We have led 5 cohorts for Raising Highly
Capable Kids, our Men’s bible study group has grown to 4 cohorts
that participated in The Crucible Project, and our Women’s
Bible Study launched this summer.
“MY GIFTS AND
GOD’S DESIRE FOR
ME TO LEAN INTO
LEADING WAS CON-
FIRMED DURING MY
TIME AT CRUCIBLE. I
FEEL LIKE I AM A BET-
TER MAN AS A RESULT
OF BEING GIVEN THIS
OPPORTUNITY.”
-CRUCIBLE PROJECT
PARTICIPANT
To date, Familyhood has served more than 160 families!
Through the different programming and cohorts
families are encouraged, supported, and restored. Facilitator
Reynonda Townsend feels that Familyhood is
an all-encompassing term that represents wholeness.
“It is the foundation for building a healthy family.” Facilitator
Kenneth Townsell echoes those same sentiments,
“For me, Familyhood is an intimate community
of people who have been designed by God to live life
together.”
Simmons shares that she has seen lifelong relationships
form among cohort members that provide accountability.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 states “So, being affectionately
desirous of you, we were ready to share
with you not only the gospel of God but also our own
selves, because you had become very dear to us.” This
verse has been palpable this year. “It has been rich to
share life with the Familyhood families this year!”
Familyhood facilitators and their spouses share a meal together during summer break.

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In 2022, Sunshine officially launched the Housing
Equity Initiative (HEI) after piloting the Tax Sale
Benevolence Program (TSBP) in the Fall of 2021.
The Housing Equity Initiative has now expanded
to three areas of focus: home retention (TSBP),
homeownership, and neighborhood revitalization
in the Woodlawn community of Chicago.
Home retention occurs through the Tax Sale Benevolence
Program (TSBP) which rescues families whose
homes are in jeopardy of sale due to Cook County property
tax arrears. Through an intake process HEI is able
to discern the advocacy needed to assist families in
troubleshooting their set of circumstances: applying for
an exemption, legal assistance, mitigating fines, etc. After
a full assessment and consultation with the family,
HEI provides funds necessary for individuals and families
to remove their homes from the current tax sale list.
Homeownership occurs through assisting families in
the home buying process. HEI conducts an intake process
for families who are interested in purchasing a
home in Woodlawn. This intake allows HEI to identify
needed areas to assist the family in so that they are
financially prepared to qualify for a mortgage to purchase
a home and financially astute for sustainability.
The program also connects the home buyer with credible
resources: a mortgage lender, Real Estate Broker
and Real Estate Attorney. HEI will assist families with
down payment assistance between $5,000 and $20,000
towards their home purchase. This year, HEI helped one
family purchase their first home!
The neighborhood revitalization process occurs through
HEI rehabilitating vacant homes and developing vacant
lots in the neighborhood of Woodlawn. HEI’s goal is to
sell these properties at a truly affordable price for those
in Woodlawn. In October 2022, Sunshine acquired their
first property on the 6400 S. Eberhart block and is in the
planning process to begin the renovation of the property.
For all of the HEI programs, HEI participants are required
to commit and fully engage in our educational platform
which provides an informative workshop series on the
topics of budgeting, homeownership essentials, banking,
and a year of coaching, advocacy and support.
Client Success Story
Charles is a veteran who lives in the Woodlawn neighborhood
of Chicago. His home was listed on the Tax Year 2018
tax sale list. Charles knew that Cook County property
taxes were waived for veterans with 70% or more disability,
and he thought he was eligible for this waiver.
Through our Housing Equity Initiative (HEI), Sunshine
Gospel investigated his case and discovered that Charles
was not yet eligible for this waiver when his property
appeared on the sale list. In order to keep Charles from
losing his home, Sunshine Gospel helped him figure out
how to overcome his challenges related to his outstanding
tax payments due.. The HEI team met with Charles for
an intake interview, he attended three financial education
workshops, and HEI paid part of his arrears to prevent the
sale of his home. He was eligible for our matching funds
to help pay his 2019 tax arrears, but he decided to pay it
on his own, demonstrating the financial independence and
empowerment he received from our program.
Charles says the program taught him financial skills
and supported him through a financially difficult time.
Charles’ involvement with the HEI program saved him from
losing his most valuable asset, his home.

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OUR PASSION IS CREATING DEEPLY AFFORDABLE
HOME OWNERSHIP OPTIONS IN WOODLAWN
Today’s economy and developers in
our community with other agendas
present issues and concerns that
must be overcome. But Sunshine is
working with community partners
and the City of Chicago to purchase
vacant lots and abandoned properties to both
build and rehab for current Woodlawn residents
at an affordable cost, which will provide families
the opportunity to create generational wealth
through homeownership. Our current rehab project
is a 1,800 square foot property - a 3 bedroom,
1.5 bath, single family home with an 800 square
foot, 2 bedroom, 1 bath legal basement apartment
that can be used as investment income property
for the homeowner. Properties like this will help
the new homeowner financially sustain their financial
commitment associated with homeownership.
Executive Director Kimberly Salley shares, “Being
a major contributor in revitalizing several blocks
in Woodlawn with the development of vacant lots
and rehabbing properties that are deeply affordable
homes for residents aligns with our mission.
And this allows indigenous people an opportunity
to share in the appreciation of assets that exist
in their community. The goal being to transform
the 74% of renters in Woodlawn to 74% homeowners
which will generate wealth creation and housing
justice.”

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When BridgeBuilders was launched in 2004,
the goal was to bring people from outside
our community into the community to give
them a deeper understanding and insight into the
beauty and brokeness of neighborhoods like Woodlawn.
At the end of trips, individuals are always
tasked with taking what they’ve learned back to their
own communities.
To date, thousands have been through the Bridge-
Builders experience. Seeds that were planted nearly
20 years ago have born fruit throughout many communities.
This past year, 191 individuals participated
in our service-learning experiences, and over 200 individuals
participated in our newly-launched poverty
simulation, planting and watering more seeds.
BridgeBuilders is continuing to foster relationships
with churches and colleges that have attended the
ministry in the past. BridgeBuilders Director CW Allen
is asking the difficult question of “Do people still
have the capacity to journey with us after all that was
shaken up in 2020?” Due to the pandemic, people
have lower capacity to attend extended experiences
like our BridgeBuilders program. Jokingly, CW notes
that a grocery store run was a major trip for all of us
in 2020. As society returns to some semblance
of normalcy, the BridgeBuilders team is creatively
developing new ways to reach this generation
with experiences that teach about the Biblical understanding
of Justice.
The BridgeBuilders in-person Experiential Service
Learning trips program continues to increase in
it’s reach, bringing groups from all over the United
States, impacting more participants each year.
One of the main highlights for this year was the
continued curation of lessons for BridgeBuilders
of different backgrounds.

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“GOING THROUGH THE POVERTY SIMULATION WAS SO EYE OPENING TO THE FEELINGS OF
HELPLESSNESS AND UNCERTAINTY EXPERIENCED BY PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY. IT
DEMONSTRATES THEIR PRECARIOUS POSITION IN LIFE.”
-MARLISS NEAL, WESTMONT COLLEGE
In 2021 we launched a
new interactive experience
based on real-life
scenarios, aimed at spurring
greater depth of understanding
and connection
to the complexities
of poverty.
When creating the poverty
simulation, a 3 hour
experience that mimics a
month in the life of individuals
or family groups,
BridgeBuilders Director
CW Allen drew from his
own life as well as the
lives of his neighbors
in the Woodlawn community.
While no real
names are used, real-iife
scenarios are presented,
such as having to
choose between missing
a day of work or attending
your child’s school
performance.
After the simulation, Allen
debriefs with groups,
allowing for deeper
dialogue and processing.
His challenge at the end
is to take what they have
learned back to their
home communities.
The poverty simulation
experience can be run at
our location in Chicago
or brought to groups
remotely.
POVERTY SIMULATION

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HONORING THE LEGACY OF JOEL
AND PAULA HAMERNICK
On May 12th friends, family, colleagues,
supporters, and community
partners gathered at the
Sheraton Hotel in downtown Chicago to
honor 22 years of service for Joel and
Paula Hamernick. Many people from
near and far shared their love and appreciation
for Joel and Paula’s leadership
and commitment to the Woodlawn community
and the continued growth for
Sunshine Gospel Ministries. Sunshine’s
High School Programs Director Lamar
Simms shared a poem he had written in
their honor.
Andy Combs and Arnold Sojourner pray over Paula aand Joel during the May
12th event
HEROES NEVER DIE
by Lamar Simms
HAMERNICK LEGACY CAMP FUND
I was once told that
Not all heroes wear capes,
They don’t all
Run at the speed of light
Nor do they all fly through
dark skies
Defeating every Villain in
their path,
They don’t all shoot lasers
from
Their eye or
Take down galaxies of
aliens
Who have invaded our precious
earth,
Some,
Some heroes are called to
project buildings
In cites where Justice has
been relocated,
Some speak of Shalom
Not the absence of war
But the presence of peace
In the midst of the storm,
When you think of Heroes
Let not your mind forget to
Frame pictures of everyday
People that laid a foundation
where others
Thought we lost ground,
We fight
Show up in spaces uninvited
With your welcome signs
Tatted on our hearts,
Seeking to the renewal of
the city
By empowering youth and
families
To thrive,
Not all heroes wear capes
They don’t all have super
strength
Or walk through walls,
But there are some that
stood up
For a generation that will
never sit down
Despite how often we are
expected to fall,
Watch me stand
Where they stood,
Run
Where they ran,
Today we celebrate 2 heroes
that have 7 children
Yet still find time to help
others
Give birth to their dreams,
Lift up your heads
Brighten up that smile,
We might be living in crazy
times
But thank God that Heroes
Never die!
In 1999, Joel and Paula and their children were hired to
direct the Sunshine-owned campground in Union, MI.
Offering summer camp experiences to urban youth is
a long standing tradition for Sunshine. Though their time
running the campground was cut short as they transitioned
to living and working in the city, the value of offering our
youth an away-camp experience remained. Sunshine has
continued to send
youth to away camps
during the summer,
knowing the value
these experiences offer
our youth.
During the event on
May 12th, Sunshine
announced the newly
established Hamernick
Legacy Camp
Fund as a way to
honor the seeds of
faith and service
the Hamernick family
planted and continue
to invest in lifechanging
experiences
for our youth. If you
would like to contribute
to this fund,
please visit our giving
page at
sunshinegospel.org/giving.

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SUNSHINE RECEIVES GENEROUS GRANT FROM
COOK COUNTY JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL
In August we were the proud
recipients of a $1.5 million
dollar grant awarded by the
Cook County Advisory Council
for our gun violence prevention
work. This grant will
be dispersed over the course
of 3 years to cover the costs
of staffing and running programming
for gun violence
prevention. We were one of
68 recipients across the city
to receive grant funding for
this work.

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500 E 61st ST CHICAGO, IL 60637 | WWW.SUNSHINEGOSPEL.ORG