Sunlight Alliance Foundation
2007
501c3 nonprofit organization
The Sunlight Alliance Foundation (SLAF)
a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was created in 2007 as a response to the inspiring story of a mighty young warrior named Jelani.
My name is Sunny Dawn Johnston and I am the Founder of Sunlight Alliance Foundation 501c3.
I wanted to share with you a story of how The Sunlight Alliance Foundation came to be and of the “Mighty” Warrior Jelani, who is little boy who inspired me to create this foundation to help, love and support other children who face challenges and hardships the way he has.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
My cousin Amy, found out when she was 20 weeks pregnant, that her son would most likely not live past birth. He was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This basically means that her baby would be born without the left side of his heart. Jelani was born in April 2003, and underwent his first open heart surgery just four days later. He struggled and struggled and had complication after complication. But finally after spending two month in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Amy got to take her son home. She was scared to death. She was a first time mom at 24 and didn’t really know how to be a mom, let alone a nurse too. But together they did it. Her son, Jelani, was super small, and very fragile and she was constantly checking his oxygen saturation levels, feeding him through a tube, and administering his medication.
At six months old, Jelani went back to the hospital for his second open heart surgery. And again, he struggled and struggled. But finally was able to go home. Once he got home, Jelani flourished. He was growing and learning and developing. He had several challenges with different illnesses and hospital stays, but he was doing well.
It is our vision
to assist humanity whether that’s emotionally, physically, spiritually or mentally.
SLAF brings hope and support to people in the Arizona community who are battling diseases either emotionally, mentally, physically, or those who have been burdened with catastrophic circumstances in their lives and thus cannot cope alone in day-to-day living. The SLAF continues to express the importance of self-development and self-reliance while providing this transitional assistance that individuals and families need to grow and develop.
Since the beginning, the SLAF has supported many different families in the middle of crisis and helped give them the tools to succeed and move forward. SLAF has assisted families with children with congenital heart defects, breathing problems, cancer, and even a mother who was gravely ill, and a father with cancer and unable to support his family.
Serving our community is very important to the volunteers at SLAF. Making a difference in the lives of others and watching them grow and flourish is what our intention is behind our actions.
If you feel guided to donate, we would greatly appreciate it! Your gift will bless many others.
Blessings,
Sunny Dawn Johnston
To donate money to the Sunlight Alliance Foundation
you can do so in three ways.
Directly to our PayPal account: www.paypal.me/DonateToSunlight
Call our office at (602) 375-6788 and we can take your payment over the phone.
Come to a fundraising event
Upon receipt of your donation, if requested, you will receive a form to turn in with your taxes stating that you donated to a nonprofit 501c3 foundation.
If you know of someone who could benefit from our foundation, please contact us at sunny@sunnydawnjohnston.com or (602) 375-6788.
