United We Shine: New York City Kicks Off Seventh Annual Project Sunshine Week

NEW YORK, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Project Sunshine, a New York City-based charity, kicks off its annual week of service, Project Sunshine Week, which will run from May 3-11. Starting with proclamations from Governor David Paterson and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the week will include a number of service-oriented activities and events and will culminate with the Seventh Annual Project Sunshine Benefit on Tuesday, May 11th.

"Project Sunshine is fortunate to have a committed corps of compassionate volunteers who dedicate time and talent to children facing medical challenges," said Beatrice Kernan, Executive Director, Project Sunshine. "This week aims to celebrate and honor the tireless efforts of the thousands of trained volunteers, sponsors and community members who strive to bring sunshine into the lives of these children and their families."

For more than ten years, Project Sunshine has been bringing its own form of light to the city that never sleeps. During this special week, both national and local businesses will band together to raise funds and awareness for the organization. Born out of the vision of one college student, Project Sunshine has grown into a global network of volunteers who bring free educational, recreational and social programs to children and families in hospitals.  

An Official New York City Celebration

• The city will show its support for Project Sunshine with proclamations from New York Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that May 3-11 is officially Project Sunshine Week.

• New York Yankee catcher Francisco Cervelli and shortstop Ramiro Pina, in conjunction with Project Sunshine, will be on hand to read baseball themed books to hospitalized kids at Mount Sinai Hospital on Tuesday, May 4th.

• The Empire State Building is glowing yellow on Wednesday, May 5th in honor of Project Sunshine Week. All-Star New York Knick David Lee and Sports Illustrated models Christine Teigen and Esti Ginzburg will attend a special lighting ceremony that day to officially turn the lights yellow.

• BTIG will sponsor a Charity Trading Day with New York Giant David Diehl and Project Sunshine on May 6th. BTIG is an institutional broker dealer specializing in trading and related brokerage services. In addition, Sports Illustrated models will be in attendance.

• City Sights and Meeting Professionals International are providing a double-decker bus and taking 40 Project Sunshine Children and their family members on a tour of NYC on Friday, May 6th giving them the opportunity to see the city and the sunshine first-hand.

• On Tuesday, May 11th, Project Sunshine will host its Seventh Annual Project Sunshine Benefit at The Waldorf=Astoria. The theme of the evening is "United We Shine." This year's event will honor Dr. Reed Tuckson, Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs at UnitedHealth Group, and will highlight the commitment of UnitedHealth Group and other companies to Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that give back to the community, such as Project Sunshine.

• The night will include celebrity appearances on the Project Sunshine "Yellow Carpet," from the likes of Sports Illustrated model Christine Teigen, singer John Legend, Knicks star David Lee, actress Abigail Breslin, and a live performance by Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack.

During Project Sunshine Week, Our Exclusive Partners Raise Awareness and Support

In celebration of Project Sunshine Week:

• Helen Ficalora designed a 14k gold Sun Charm which sells in her New York City, Beverly Hills, Chicago, and Palm Beach stores with 25% of proceeds going to Project Sunshine during Project Sunshine Week and throughout the year. She has also launched a very special sterling silver Sun Charm, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting Project Sunshine throughout the year, available at www.projectsunshine.org.

• LEIBER, American luxury brand, has created a Project Sunshine key chain for sale exclusively in her Madison Avenue store, with a percentage of sales to go to Project Sunshine.

• Olive & Bette's boutiques donates 100% of proceeds to Project Sunshine from each "Sunflower Tee" sold in May in their four New York City locations.

• Stuart Weitzman has designed a sun jelly rain boot "Splashy" with 10% of proceeds from sales at the Madison Avenue store going to Project Sunshine during this week.

About Project Sunshine

Project Sunshine is a nonprofit organization that empowers a dynamic and dedicated corps of over 10,000 volunteers to bring programming – recreational (arts), educational (tutoring and mentoring) and social service (HIV and nutritional counseling) – to over 60,000 children facing medical challenges and their families in 100 major cities across the United States, and in five international satellite sites: Canada, China, Israel, Kenya, and Puerto Rico. Project Sunshine is dedicated to bringing a ray of hope to these hospitalized children. Project Sunshine Week is a week dedicated to raising awareness and support for the organization through a series of events and programs. This year, Project Sunshine Week starts May 3rd, with the annual benefit celebration at The Waldorf=Astoria as the culmination of the week on May 11th. For more information and ways you can get involved, visit www.projectsunshine.org.

SOURCE Project Sunshine