At Sunrise, our mission to support people with disabilities to the best of our abilities is the driving force behind all our decisions. That said, you can just imagine how encouraged and grateful we feel when supporters from the community share our passion. For over two decades, few others have been as supportive or engaged in our cause as Lakeland’s very own First United Methodist Church!
The Church has demonstrated an incredible giving spirit, funding everything from program “scholarships” to new adaptive equipment for the individuals we serve. But instead of stopping at that, the Church has also taken an active role in supporting our programs. Their volunteers have helped with a variety of beautification projects of our group homes and Adult Day Training Centers, ensuring that people with disabilities in the community have a warm and inviting environment to learn in and live in!
This year, First United Methodist Church expressed its support for our mission with two contributions. The first, in the amount of $3,500 went towards funding our day program so that individuals from the community could continue enjoying enriching services and support. Just a few months after, they also helped cover more practical needs by donating $4,000 so that we could purchase new washer and dryer sets for our Alicia and Old Scott Road group homes. They are commercial-grade units from Maytag that are designed to clean large loads quickly and efficiently. They are sure to come in handy as we care for the 12 individuals with disabilities in total living in both homes!
We are so grateful for the continued, unflinching support the First United Church of Lakeland has demonstrated for people with disabilities and the Sunrise mission.
