American Sunshine
Movement
Bringing hope and a helping hand to revitalize communities throughout the United States.
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Who We Are
Bringing Back Hope
WHAT HAPPENED TO…
Small Towns
HOW WE CAN HELP…
Bring Back Hope
IT ALL STARTED IN…
Newport, NH
What Happened To…
The American Small Town
Small towns and communities across the US have been struggling with a myriad of challenges, including one of the most deadly…a poverty of HOPE.
LOSS OF
Manufacturing
Since 1979 the US has lost over a third of all domestic manufacturing jobs, a decline of 6.7 million (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
AGING
Population
In 1980, older adults only comprised 10.9% of the rural population while in 2019 that number had increased by nearly two-thirds to 17.5% (Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing)
Rise of
Online Shopping
Online shopping and the closure of brick-and-mortar stores – a record 12,200 stores closed in 2020 as e-commerce and the pandemic changed retail forever (Fortune)
Opioid
Epidemic
Between 1999 and 2015, overdose deaths increased 325% in rural counties with overall overdose deaths hitting a record 109,680 in 2022. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Rise in Income
Inequality
Since 2007, rural median income has averaged 25% below the urban median (US Dept of Agriculture)
You Can Help!
Sign up to get updates and learn how to support a community near you through the American Sunshine Movement.
The Newport, NH Story
Unleashing the Human Spirit
WHAT’S THE FORMULA
The Keys to Success
JOBS
Education
Housing
Revitalization
What Is…
The Opportunity
To create a positive movement to revitalize small towns and communities across America.
About Us
Our Mission
We are dedicated to helping small towns, communities, and individuals across the United States to achieve their full potential by providing access to resources, support, and education that create personal and collective growth. This includes providing innovative solutions to societal challenges while also promoting individual growth, civility and social responsibility.
The Future
Our Vision
By 2026, the 250th birthday of the United States, we will have planted sunshine seeds in over 1,000 communities and will be growing sunshine programs in 100 of those small towns and communities!
The Sunshine Movement
Platform Overview
Best Practices Toolbox
Our best practices toolbox will take all our learnings from Sunshine Initiatives and make them readily available to communities across the country.
Funding Resources
One of the biggest challenges for communities is finding funding, but there are funds to support these initiatives. We will help connect communities to the resources they need to succeed.
Strategic Partnerships
Positive change requires a team of motivated people and organizations working together. We will help create these partnerships in Sunshine Communities.