Sunnyhill
At Sunnyhill, Inc., a Resident Finds His Light
In his previous living situation, Paul S. used to gaze up at the stars, wishing for a brighter future. Seven years ago, that wish became a reality when he moved to Sunnyhill, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in St. Louis that supports individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities.
A resident at Sunnyhill Independent Living Center, Paul found new friends, a highly supportive staff and opportunities to learn and indulge in some of his favorite activities, including painting, running and karaoke.
“The staff here is great. They go out of their way to help you,” Paul says, adding that he owes a debt of gratitude to Megan Shoults, Director of Jefferson County Supports at Sunnyhill, who encouraged him to begin running again after a six-year hiatus. The result? A first-place ribbon at the Special Olympics.
Through providing more than one million hours of support to more than 400 people, Sunnyhill was originally Camp Sunnyhill, which was created by parents to give their children with developmental disabilities a place to be together in the summer. While the camp remains a cornerstone of its mission of creating inclusive, shared experience focused on conservation and exploration, Sunnyhill has expanded over 50 years to provide behavioral support, 24-hour supported living, independent living skill training, advocacy and family navigation — and much more.
This growth has been strengthened by community partners like Enterprise Bank & Trust. Enterprise is proud to support Sunnyhill through corporate donations, board and committee leadership, and volunteer teams who show up for events throughout the year. Enterprise also provides strategic financial guidance to help position Sunnyhill for continued growth and sustainability.
Paul shows his painting of stars, which was turned into patches, as seen on his hat.
“It’s important that we have organizations like Enterprise to help us support a very vulnerable population,” says Sunnyhill President and CEO Amy Wheeler. “Our relationship is very community-centric, and they are proactive to help us meet our needs. They’ve been there in both easy and more turbulent times.”
For Paul, these expanded services have helped him grow and thrive in ways he once only imagined. A devoted sports fan, he now regularly attends college and professional sporting events in the St. Louis area. He also enjoys one of his favorite pastimes: karaoke. He jokes that he is probably the “worst singer,” but that doesn’t stop him from stepping up to the microphone with a smile.
With Sunnyhill’s support, Paul works in the cafeteria at a local public school, doing prep work, dishes and helping serve the students. “My coworkers and I are a family. We look out for each other.”
At Sunnyhill, Paul has also explored his love of painting and recently participated in Sunnyhill’s ARTventure Artist Gallery event, which was created to help people like Paul express their feelings. His painting, based on the theme “What makes you happy,” landed him in the top four. His subject? Stars.
“I was always looking at the stars, wishing for something better, so I decided to paint stars,” he says. “Now I look up and I thank the stars. Sunnyhill saved my life.”