Sunshine Cottage Benefits from Community Contributions

The Birdies for Charity^® campaign is one of several charitable initiatives organized and supported by the Valero Texas Open, providing more than 115 worthy organizations throughout the greater San Antonio community and beyond with a fun and unique fundraising platform. This year the Valero Texas Open Birdies for Charity campaign raised over $1.84 million for local participating charities and schools thanks to the support of thousands of donors.

We think this year was extra special because out of the more than 115 charities, Valero chose Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children to highlight during a 27 second television spot which was aired during the Valero Texas Open broadcast in March. Film crews from California and Florida came to Sunshine Cottage to capture the feeling of happiness, success, and how family’s lives are positively impacted every day at Sunshine Cottage. Families were asked to write down their story…”We were lost when we first heard of our child’s hearing loss…and then we found Sunshine Cottage.” The media professionals from Valero were overwhelmed with the compelling stories told by one family after the other. The common denominator: each had a child who is hearing impaired and they needed help; help that Sunshine Cottage could provide.

Opening scene: Kindergartner sings a nursery rhyme to his mother. Then he says “I love you Mommy…” A child who would not have the opportunity to listen and talk has that opportunity because of the money raised by countless individuals, parent’s dedication and Sunshine’s expertise.

Money raised from the Valero Texas Open Birdies for Charity campaign goes directly to our Parent-Infant program. It is there that Sunshine Cottage staff and parents work together as a team to support children who are hearing impaired.  Parent advisors coach and educate parents to interact with their baby, to operate and care for the hearing technology their baby uses, and to understand the challenges and joys of parenthood.

At Sunshine Cottage, we believe that if given the opportunity, children with hearing impairment can learn to speak and live a successful, self-reliant life. Our auditory-oral school uses a teaching approach  based on the belief that most hearing-impaired children can develop the ability to listen and talk if their education begins early and they learn to maximize the use of their residual hearing with the use of hearing technology. 

The Birdies for Charity campaign positively impacts the lives of thousands of San Antonians and Bexar County residents each year thanks to the incredible contributions made by individual and corporate donors. Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children is thankful to our many donors and to the Valero Texas Open…together, we make a difference.