Vision Statement
It is our vision to create a world where individuals facing serious injury or illness no longer have to worry about the difficulties associated with these things. Whether we are filling a freezer full of food during a long recovery, arranging transportation, or making home modifications so that a suddenly disabled occupant can maneuver freely, our goal is to make life easier for each and every one of these individuals, creating a community where they can achieve their goals, and live the highest quality of life! We believe that all human beings have a potential to accomplish something great, given the proper tools and support. We believe that even under the most extreme circumstances, we can all find happiness and “Signs of Sunshine” through a helping hand, and some community compassion. It is our goal to spread this mindset to the entire United States, and to touch as many lives as we can, teaching the world that if we look closely enough, there are always Signs of Sunshine!
Our Inspiration
On a November afternoon, in 2009, we suddenly lost our wonderful Mom and Nana, LaDon Tudor to a case of undetected heart disease. LaDon was an amazing woman who not only taught all of us a great deal of compassion, but who always taught acceptance. Whether it was someone in a wheelchair, or a balding child with leukemia, she taught us that everyone deserves care, respect, and dignity. She taught us to never give up on someone, that we all have a chance to do great things in this life, if we are given the proper tools. Upon her passing, we knew that we needed to do something to carry on the wonderful spirit that she was graced with. We have formed Signs of Sunshine in her honor to continue on with the generosity that came naturally to her, as well as our father. She was capable of spreading her sunshine to all of us, and we want to pass that on to our community.
Much of LaDon’s compassion came when as a family we faced a great tragedy in 1978. Her son in law Mike, was in a bad work accident and was left with a brain injury and paralyzed. Mike was in a coma for months, and faced years of rehabilitation and major changes to life. We quickly found out that everything in our lives needed to be changed. The house that Mike lived in was not accessible to someone in a wheelchair. He could not go out and do the things that other people could, as public handicap access was not as available back then. While things have improved over the years, it can still be difficult to maneuver both in the home, and in public, when someone is left disabled. Whether they are in a wheelchair or not, many times things need to be changed for better access, to give them a better quality of life. We understand that many people cannot afford to make modifications to their homes, or purchase the proper equipment to make them more mobile, or functional, thus allowing them to live their life to the fullest potential. This is even more difficult when someone is faced with a sudden disability or illness. The unexpected financial hardships on individuals and families, is often catastrophic. Whether someone is off work while battling a debilitating disease such as cancer, or facing a situation from a bad accident and in need of recovery time, the bills are often mounting, along with other challenges, thus leaving them and their family unable to concentrate on recovery. Our understanding of these circumstances is what has led us to establish Signs of Sunshine. We hope to inspire many others to join us in our mission.
Why the Sunflower?
Garden Sunflower