202 Magazine September 2013 Edition September 2013 | Page 36

/ 202 PAY IT FORWARD / community service Written by wu JeriJane Robertson Sunshine Acres A Magical Place Helping Children in Need his is a story of unwavering faith, love and unimaginable joy. It is the story of Valley couple, Vera and Rev. Jim Dingman—their giving spirit... and their legacy to help Arizona children in need. In 1954, Jim and Vera bought three dilapidated buildings on 125-acres of remote property in Mesa, Ariz., turning it into a safe haven for children. With nothing but faith, this couple created Sunshine Acres Children’s Home—an enclave of homes in the Mesa desert to provide “Although our home is a community of love, almost entirely funded safety and success. Today, this non-profit by donations, our focus thrives without grants, is the quality care of the solicitation or governchildren and not fund ment support. T came compelled to help those forgotten by society. With kids in tow, they drove down Mesa’s dirt roads and cattle trails to find their hidden oasis in the desert—a former boy’s boarding school that had been abandoned for years. As the story goes, the young couple’s strong faith in God had them believing this would be their new home—their “Sunshine Acres.” With no water or electricity, leaking roofs, and holes in the walls, this “project” took off to a slow start, and was perhaps a test of faith. But soon, volunteers and community support stepped in to help build the Dingman’s dream. It was June 1, 1954 when the buildings became habitable, the state license was granted, and Sunshine Acre’s first residents moved in—two boys whose parents were alcoholics. Children who seek refuge here come because they are homeless, have parents who have been incarcerated, or have been inand-out of foster care. Some kids here have been “on their own” due to a terminally ill parent or guardian suffering a chronic illness. Children ages five through college-age have crossed the threshold of Sunshine raising. We do not solicit on our own behalf.” “Everything is positive here, nothing’s wrong,” —SunshineAcres.org says a young girl who finds refuge here. Sunshine Acres has been home to more than 1,600 children, and operates with two basic principles: to never solicit for money on their own behalf, and to never turn away a child. At the time, Rev. Jim had been ministering to Mesa’s poorest residents. With young children of their own, the Dingman’s be- 36 202 MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2013 / 202magazine.com