A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT / CEO 

“The joy of brightening other lives becomes for us the magic of the holidays.”

This sentiment beautifully captures what we at Sunshine Village experience every day -that the true magic of the season comes from giving, connecting, and lifting one another up.

As you read through this quarterly newsletter, we hope you’ll not only see but feel the joy that fills our GREAT days. Our social media is full of smiling faces, helping hands, meaningful partnerships, and exciting new experiences. Our website shines with moments of friendship, laughter, growth, and learning- each one a reminder of the incredible people who make our community so special.

Fiscal Year 2025

ANNUAL REPORT

Our FY2025 Financial Audit showed SSV is a strong, financially viable organization. At the end of June 2025, revenues exceeded $16 million. Employees numbered 210 – and over 410 clients were being served within our programs located in Chicopee, Three Rivers and Agawam.

CONGRATULATIONS…TO US!

WE ARE SUPER! Sunshine Village was honored this year by the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce as one of their Super 60 businesses. With our high level of utilization and accountability for our federal, state and donor dollars -we are proud of this honor. 

THANK YOU to the CPA firm of Meyers Brothers Kalicka for nominating us for this prestigious award!

WELLNESS AWARD: We were also recognized this past year with a Well Worth It Award from Health New England – for our commitment to encouraging, education and supporting our workforce with their personal and emotional wellness. SSV works toward offering all employees a high level of “work life balance” – and this award proves, once again, that the agency achieves the distinction of being an Employer of Choice!

STRATEGIC PLANNING – OUR FY2024/2025/2026 STRATEGIC PLAN

At the Annual Meeting in June of 2025, the Board of Directors approved the third and final year of our three year STRATEGIC PLAN that will direct efforts thru June of 2026.

We continue to achieve our four Organizational Goals and look forward to a Transitional Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2027 – that will direct efforts for our next multi-year plan that will lead us as we celebrate our 60^th anniversary in 2027! 

Advance SSV as a “Premier Provider of Choice” by assessing, enhancing and offering innovative services that assist individuals to achieve greater independence.

Ensure the financial stability of SSV with sound governance and strong leadership that strives for excellence while adhering to thoughtful policies, transparent practices, proactive planning and continuous improvement.  

Enhance service provision by investing in technology and infrastructure while ensuring that all environments are safe, welcoming and inclusive for all.

Continue to be an “Employer of Choice” investing in our workforce through a competitive and comprehensive total rewards plan and professional development program, while emphasizing wellness and valuing work-life balance. 

SUNHSINE VILLAGE HAS THE BEST EMPLOYEES!

CONGRATULATIONS!

And THANK YOU to our employees who celebrated

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES with Sunshine Village this year!

35 years

Suzanne Wegrzyn

30 years

Betty O’Connor

20 years

Kimya Kelly

Ellen Spadoni

15 years

Scott Anderson

Nicole Phaneuf-Hunt

Jennifer Guzman

Bruce Woods

David Chmura

10 years

Lisa Vreeland

Romyr Martinez

Joyce Webb

Franklin Siana

5 years

Jesslyn Montanez

Holly Bennett

OUR EMPLOYEES WILL CONTINUE TO SHINE EVEN BRIGHTER!

 In 2025 Sunshine Village continued its investment in our workforce -in the second year of a three year comprehensive and robust Workforce Development Plan - concentrating efforts in three areas:

·        Professional Development so that all employees are work ready and can successfully  achieve their job requirements;

·        the Leadership Development for employees who aspire to advance within the organization and for specific positions to positively influence and inspire other employees and stakeholders; and

·        Personal Development to support all employees to achieve a higher standard of work life balance and quality of life.

We are an Employer of Choice – and our employees SHINE! 

INNOVATIVE SERVICES IN WARM, WELCOMING ENVIROMENTS 

Throughout the years since 1967, Sunshine Village has achieved the dream of our founders in many ways. The agency has offered a variety of innovative programs designed to meet the ever-changing demands of its clientele. The organization provides a host of unique life, work and community engagement supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders – while also having the capacity to successfully serve people with significant challenges - cognitively, physically and behaviorally – and complicated medical conditions.

Sunshine Village currently provides a host of life, work and community engagement services and works hard to design supports that continue to meet the needs of people with intellectual disabilities as well as people on the autism spectrum. These services are: 

LIFE ENGAGEMENT SERVICES

(Therapeutic Day Habilitation Services): Life Engagement Services is a medically based program with services augmented with clinical supports as necessary, including speech and language, physical and occupational therapies and access autism consultants. The program’s focus is on building functional life skills, including social, communication, personal wellness and independent living. In addition to providing this type of programming at the main campus of Sunshine Village in Chicopee, the organization also operates community-based sites in Three Rivers (Palmer) and Agawam.