Since 1936, Sunny Glen Children’s Home has offered vulnerable children across the Rio Grande Valley a safe, loving, and faith-centered place to belong. Much of what you see on our campus today exists because someone chose to turn their love for another person into something lasting. To give in memory or honor of someone is one of the most meaningful ways to support Sunny Glen. It’s a way of saying that a life was precious. That love doesn’t have to end when loss arrives. That a milestone worth celebrating can become hope for a child who needs it most.
God’s love is generous and enduring. When we extend that same spirit toward others, something remarkable happens. A personal story becomes a gift. A moment of grief becomes a moment of grace. A birthday, an anniversary, a life well-lived — all of it can carry forward in ways you might never fully see, but that a child will one day feel.
That’s what these gifts do. They reach across time and circumstance. They remind a child that they are seen, valued, and worthy of care.
The Buildings With Names Tell the Story
Walk the grounds of Sunny Glen and you’ll notice something. The buildings have names. Real names — family names, first names, names that meant everything to the people who gave them.
That’s not an accident. It reflects how this community gives.
Josh’s House was donated by Sam and Seanne Sparks in memory of their grandson, Josh Koonce, who passed away as a teenager. Aunt Jessie’s House was given by Jane Runnels Clark in memory of her Aunt Jessie Burns, the first female Executive Director of Sunny Glen. Vance and Mary Lee’s House was built through the Farris Foundation in memory of Bobby Farris’s grandparents, Vance and Mary Lee Raimond. Jack’s House was built by Frank Boggus and his family in memory of his son, Jack. Geanell’s House was gifted by Rita K. Roney in honor of her mother, Geanell Loyd Robertson.
Each of those names now belongs to a home where children eat breakfast, do homework, and slowly learn to trust again. That’s what a gift in someone’s honor can become.
What If a Memorial Could Keep Doing Something Good?
Flowers fade. Memorial donations don’t. When a family is grieving, they often want to do something meaningful — something that says their loved one’s life counted and will keep counting. A gift to Sunny Glen in someone’s memory does exactly that.
It creates a living memorial. The children who come through our ministries and services may never know the name of the person being honored, but they’ll benefit from the love behind the gift. They’ll sleep in a home, receive counseling, or sit in a classroom that exists because someone said, “I want their life to mean something for someone else.”
That’s one of the most human things a person can do in the face of loss.
Honoring Those Who Helped Build Something Great
Alt text: The Williams Building of Administration, dedicated in loving honor of Jay and Dee Williams
Not every honorarium gift comes from grief. Some come from deep appreciation.
The Poenisch Counseling Center — one of Sunny Glen’s most vital resources for children working through trauma — was built in honor of the Poenisch family for their significant contributions to this community. The Jay and Dee Williams Administrative Building was dedicated in honor of former Executive Director Jay Williams and his wife Dee, whose leadership shaped generations of this ministry.
These gifts say something different. They say: you were essential here. You built something worth honoring. They ensure that a person’s legacy doesn’t quietly disappear when they step away or pass on.
Can a Birthday Gift Change a Child’s Life?
Birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, graduations — life is full of moments when people want to give a gift that means more than something wrapped in a box.
A gift to Sunny Glen in someone’s honor is that kind of gift. It marks the occasion, yes, but it also sends something forward. It says: in your name, a child is cared for. It connects a personal milestone to a mission that’s rooted in faith and committed to children who need it most.
The person being honored will know their name is doing good in the world.
What It Really Means to Give in Memory or Honor of Someone
When someone chooses to give in memory or honor of someone at Sunny Glen, they’re making a declaration. They’re saying that the person they love — the grandmother, the son, the mentor, the friend — deserves to be remembered in a way that helps someone else.
That’s deeply consistent with the values we try to live out every day. We believe every child is made in God’s image and worthy of love and dignity. When a donor honors a loved one through a gift to these children, both the giver and the recipient are participating in something sacred. They may never meet. But they’re connected.
Scripture tells us that love is more than a feeling — it’s something we do. Choosing to honor someone through a gift that reaches children who need care is that kind of love made tangible. It’s the same conviction that has guided this work since the beginning: that God’s love for every child calls us to act, not just to feel.
How Do You Give in Memory or Honor of Someone at Sunny Glen?
Making a memorial or honorarium gift to Sunny Glen is simple. You can make a donation online and include a note with the name of the person you’re honoring or remembering. If you’d like to discuss a larger legacy gift — the kind that might one day carry a name on a building — we’d love to talk. Just contact the team and we’ll walk you through the process.
There’s no minimum. There’s no wrong way to honor someone you love. The only requirement is that the gift comes from the heart.
The Children Behind the Named Doors
Behind every named building is a story. Inside every named building is a child.
These are kids who’ve experienced trauma, loss, and instability. They arrive at Sunny Glen carrying weight that no child should carry. What they find here — structure, care, counseling, community, and the steady presence of people who believe in God’s love for them — begins to change that.
When you give in honor of someone, those children become part of that person’s legacy. Every meal. Every counseling session. Every morning a child wakes up feeling safe. All of it is touched, in some small way, by the gift you chose to make.
How Many More Chapters Are Still Left to Write?
Sunny Glen has been serving children since 1936. That’s nearly nine decades of families, donors, and community members choosing to invest in the next generation. More than 7,800 children have come through these doors.
The buildings with names on them are part of that story. So is every smaller gift. Every memorial envelope passed at a funeral, every honorarium given in lieu of flowers, every birthday donation made in a grandparent’s name.
Get involved however you can. This story is still being written, and your loved one’s name could be part of the next chapter.
Can I Give in Memory or Honor of Someone for Any Occasion?
Absolutely. Memorial and honorarium gifts are welcome any time of year, for any reason that matters to you. Honoring someone who has passed. Celebrating a birthday. Marking a retirement. Recognizing a person who changed the course of your life. A gift to Sunny Glen is one of the most meaningful ways to do any of that. There’s no occasion too small and no gift too modest. What matters is the heart behind it.
How Do I Let Sunny Glen Know Who I’m Honoring or Remembering?
When you give online, you’ll have the chance to include the name of the person you’re honoring or remembering right in the gift form. You can also reach out to the team directly to share that information. We want the tribute handled with care — and we want your family to know that this gift was made in their honor.
Are Memorial and Honorarium Gifts Tax-Deductible?
Yes. Sunny Glen Children’s Home is a nonprofit organization, and donations — including memorial and honorarium gifts — are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You’ll receive written acknowledgment of your gift for your records. For questions about your specific tax situation, we’d encourage you to consult with a financial advisor or tax professional.
Can a Larger Gift Result in a Named Facility at Sunny Glen?
It can. Several of the buildings on our campus exist because a family chose to make a significant gift and dedicate it in someone’s name. If that kind of legacy matters to you, we’d love to have that conversation. Contact the team to explore what’s possible. Every legacy gift discussion is handled with care and confidentiality.
What Programs Does a Memorial Gift to Sunny Glen Support?
Your gift supports the full scope of Sunny Glen’s mission — residential care, trauma counseling through the Poenisch Counseling Center, transitional living support, and more. You can learn more about our ministries and services on the website. Every dollar goes toward giving children the stability, healing, and hope they deserve. That’s what we believe God’s love for children looks like in practice.
What’s the Difference Between a Memorial Gift and an Honorarium Gift?
A memorial gift is made in memory of someone who has passed — often in lieu of flowers or as part of a time of mourning and remembrance. An honorarium gift is made in honor of someone who is living, often to mark a milestone like a birthday, anniversary, or retirement. Both are ways to give in memory or honor of someone you care about. And both make a real difference in the lives of children at Sunny Glen.
How Will the Person Being Honored or Their Family Be Notified?
When you make a memorial or honorarium gift and include the honoree’s name, Sunny Glen will acknowledge the gift appropriately. If you’d like a family member or the person being honored to receive a notification, just include that information when you give — or reach out to the team directly. We want this gesture to be felt by the people who matter most to you.