Sonshine Community Ministries is a Canadian nonprofit organization founded in 1991, providing community-based support services for individuals with disabilities and children in foster care. Licensed by Ontario’s Ministry of Community and Social Services and Ministry of Children and Youth Services, it operates under the broader network of Sonshine Associated Companies.

History

The organization began as a family-run foster care agency established by Len and Trinette Goddard after their retirement from 24 years of service as Salvation Army officers[^4]. By 1996, it expanded to include group homes, starting with Apple Lane Group Home in Ottawa, which supports adults with developmental disabilities and complex medical needs. A second group home, Morin Group Home, opened in 1998 to accommodate women transitioning from foster care to independent living[^4].

Programs and Services

Sonshine Community Ministries offers a range of specialized programs:

• Foster Care: Licensed foster homes for children and youth, including those requiring medical care[^3][^5].
• Group Homes: Residential support for adults with developmental disabilities, including Apple Lane (8 residents) and Morin Group Home (7 residents)[^4][^3].
• Day Programs:
  • RAYS (Reaching All Your Stars): A day program for adults with physical and developmental disabilities, established in 1999[^4][^3].
  • BEAM: Mobile day programming focused on community integration[^3][^5].
• Camp Sonshine Cove: An accessible overnight camp in Quebec offering respite weekends, March Break programs, and summer camps[^3][^4].
• Social and Recreational Initiatives: Includes the Sonshine Singers choir and after-school clubs (cooking, drama, dance)[^3][^5].

Governance and Funding

The organization is directed by Len Goddard, with program-specific leadership such as the Developmental Services Director[^2]. Services are funded through a combination of government support and client fees, varying by program[^3].

[^4]: Organizational history from official website
[^3]: Service listings from eMentalHealth.ca
[^5]: Program descriptions from Champlain Healthline
[^2]: Operational details from Champlain Healthline

Note: Per the request, contact details and registration number (864453543RR0001) are omitted. For brevity, repeated service descriptions across sources are synthesized.

[1] https://sonshinefamilies.ca [2] https://www.champlainhealthline.ca/displayService.aspx?id=211676 [3] https://www.ementalhealth.ca/index.php?m=record&ID=10329 [4] https://sonshinefamilies.ca/about/ [5] https://oda.ementalhealth.ca/index.php?m=record&fID=3&ID=10329