The events in Ukraine over the past several days have been ever-present in all of our lives through the daily news and constant social media. These times can be especially difficult for Exonerees because of the traumas they are working to overcome.
There are many things in this life that we can’t control. But as Sunny always says, we have control over how we react to these things.
Please, dear friends, make some time each day to step away from the troubles of the world and find peace in your own lives. Turn off the TV, put down the phone, and do something positive for yourself. Take a walk, create something beautiful, or just spend a moment in positive affirmation of yourself.
Sunny has created guided meditation and yoga videos that you can view any time, day or night. Find them at our YouTube channel. We hope these will be a great help to you!
This month, as Spring begins to work its magic and awaken the plants and grass and trees, The Sunny Center is awakening too! Find out how we’re preparing to welcome Exonerees back to the Healing Center in this issue. And a happy St. Patrick’s Day to all! What may have started out as a local holiday has become a global one! It’s always good to have something to celebrate. Let us hope that someday soon we will celebrate a global day for peace! Meanwhile, enjoy the parades and the good cheer and the green beer! BTW, in Ireland they don’t color the beer green. I’m not sure what the leprechauns would think of that!
When you make a donation to The Sunny Center, you’re helping us do so many things. You’re helping to maintain and operate the Sunny Healing Center in Ireland where, in normal years, we bring Exonerees to help them process their experience and step on the path to healing and happiness. You’re helping our residents at the Sunny Living Center in Tampa, Florida. You’re helping to defray the costs involved with our direct work with Exonerees. And helping us with the day-to-day running of the centers and the outreach program.
Any amount helps, no matter how small. Please make a donation today.
Our Activism
During the first weekend in March, we were welcomed in a guest appearance at Amicus, during their Spring Training event, to talk about the experience of being Exonerees. Thanks to @amicus-alj for hosting this important event! Amicus is an organization that works to help people who have been sentenced to death in the US and worldwide. They are advocating an end to the death penalty.
Innocence Network Conference
Next month is the Innocence Network conference in Arizona. Although we will not be able to be there personally, we are asking those of you who are going to attend to let the new people know that we are here for them! Get their contact information and we will get in touch.
Pakistan Exonerees
U.S. Exoneree housing update
In the U.S., we have connected with other Exonerees who are looking forward to using a portion of their compensation to help with housing for our Exoneree family!
Giving back for the good fortune that we have had is so gratifying! We are so grateful to be able to share our experience and be part of the future. Together we can be so much more effective.
Life at The Sunny Healing Center
The daffodils are blooming and giving our spirits a lift with the promise of spring!
As we prepare for spring, we are also preparing to host guests! Although we will not personally be attending the Innocence Network conference in Arizona, we do have representatives who will be there to spread the word and let the new Exonerees know that we can offer them hope and healing and community at the Sunny Center.
Peter and Sunny hosted a film crew at the Healing Center with the focus on their love story, which they love to share, and are looking forward to participating in the first in-person retreat since the beginning of the pandemic!
Life at The Sunny Living Center
One of the units at the Living Center has undergone a makeover! We are always trying to upgrade what we can offer to our Exoneree family.
It has been very peaceful at the Living Center in these days in the beginning of spring. And we are looking forward to welcoming another newly released Exoneree in the near future!
Wish Lists: Help Exonerees Directly
| Support an Exoneree directly by purchasing a needed item for them! Terry’s wish list David’s wish list Paul’s wish list Danny’s wish list Joseph’s wish list |
| Learn about our Wish List program by clicking here! |
| Thank you so much for your support! And don’t forget, you can purchase through smile.amazon.com and select The Sunny Center Foundation USA, Inc. as your charity of choice. |
Support for Exonerees
New Group Meeting Forming
In our next newsletter, we hope to be announcing the launch of this new program for anyone and everyone whose life has been impacted by wrongful convictions!
We are developing an open meeting for Exonerees and anyone whose life has been impacted by a wrongful conviction: family members, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, even the lawyers who defended Exonerees – so we can begin to share each other’s stories and concerns, successes and failures.
Through this new program we can help each other begin to understand each other’s needs, work to become more harmonious, and develop better relationships. One of the biggest hardships when an Exoneree is released is their relationship with loved ones, because they can’t understand each other.
We will have Exoneree mentors – those who have been through it – to mentor those who are just starting to go through the process of rejoining society and healing. This creates a safe space to do that.
Contact us if you’re interested in participating!
Sundays With Sunny
Women Exonerees are welcome to join SUNDAYS WITH SUNNY, a group online chat where we can share and learn and grow together, and just be there to support one another.
Outreach
And all Exonerees, please visit our Outreach page and contact us if you need help in any way. We will respond to you. Even if you just need someone to talk to!
Peace and Love,
Sunny and Peter