Building a Culture of Philanthropy: A Gift to Sunrise is More Than a Number

When you consider giving a gift to Sunrise Day Camp–Greater Washington, you might begin with a number. Maybe it’s $18. Maybe it’s $1,800. 

Numbers, however, don’t capture the real impact of your gift. They’re a marker of sorts and intangible, and don’t connect you to the people on the other side of the donation. 

Now imagine if instead of gifting a number, you were making possible: 

• Six weeks of joy, friendship, and normalcy during treatment for a child facing pediatric cancer 

• A scary hospital visit transformed into a fun afternoon of games and crafts  

• Weekend outings that let families spend meaningful time together 

• The giant smiles and messy fingers that come with an immersive art activity 

• A chatter-filled bus ride that takes one more to-do off a harried parent’s list 

When donors understand the impact of their gifts, generosity becomes deeply personal. No gift is too small when it becomes part of something transformational.  

When we see the positive effect we can have on the people around us, we begin to build a culture of philanthropy where giving becomes one of many ways we connect. 

Seeing the Impact Firsthand 

Community members have many ways to experience the impact their gifts to Sunrise Day Camp–Greater Washington have on Northern Virginia families. 

Camp tours: One of the most powerful ways to understand Sunrise is to experience camp in person. Sunrise Day Camp will host camp tours daily between June 29 and August 7. Supporters and community members can witness the direct impact philanthropy has on children and families facing pediatric cancer. 

To schedule a tour or learn more, please contact Melanie Bomberg, Development Manager, at Melanie.Bomberg@theJ.org. 

SunriseWALKS: The Sunrise community is already looking ahead to our fifth annual SunriseWALKS at National Harbor on Sunday, October 18. SunriseWALKS is more than a fundraiser — it is a celebration of community, resilience, and the children and families at the heart of our mission. Every step taken and every dollar raised helps ensure that Sunrise can continue providing camp, hospital programming, and year-round experiences free of charge to every family we serve. 

Register, form a team, donate, or help spread the word at: https://sunrise-walks.org/GreaterWashington 

Every Gift Matters 

A culture of philanthropy is built when people understand that their generosity has the power to change lives. 

At Sunrise Day Camp–Greater Washington, every donation helps create laughter in hospital hallways, confidence on the camp stage, friendships that extend beyond diagnosis, and experiences of childhood that every child deserves. 

Because when you give to Sunrise, you are not simply funding a program. You are giving children the chance to experience the magic of being a kid again. 

And that’s so much more meaningful than a number.