Grand Forks site offices collected a over thirty grocery bags filled with food during the Sunshine September Food Drive which ended on October 2nd to support Altru’s Sunshine Hospitality home.

One of our residents, Emily Gibbens-Buteau, is the Generosity Coordinator at Altru Health Foundation. When she brought up the food drive idea to Jason Anderson, her Property Manager at Columbia West, it was an easy yes. Jason knows the Sunshine Hospitality Home provides a huge benefit to those in need in the community as well as surrounding areas when visiting Altru. "I personally know the great family that started the Sunshine Memorial Foundation in honor of Shannon Larson and this house was built with love."

Approximately 24 residents across Grand Forks participated in this food drive in addition to our Goldmark team members. 

"I think this event went well and we donated a good amount of essential needs for the house. I'd like to continue to partner up with Altru in the future to make this an annual event."
- Jason Anderson, Property Manager at Columbia West Apartment Community

Thank you to Emily Gibbens-Buteau, Columbia West resident and Generosity Coordinator at Altru Health Foundation, as well as Property Manager Jason Anderson for helping execute this donation drive.

The Sunshine Memorial Foundation is a North Dakota non-profit that was established by Van and Dee Larson in memory and in honor of their daughter, Shannon “Sunshine” Larson, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 31 from heat stroke while she was hiking in Arizona. The purpose of the foundation is to raise money for charitable programs promoting Shannon’s attitude of helping others. The Sunshine Hospitality Home is an extension of this foundation to help those with critical illnesses, diseases, and injuries who must travel to fulfill their healthcare needs.

Interested in continuing to support the Sunshine Hospitality Home? You can shop their Amazon Wishlist here.