SINCE 1903
HISTORY
OUR BEGINNING
Sunshine Ministries was founded on April 25, 1903 as the St. Louis City Rescue Mission at
14 N. 7th Street (the current site of Kiener Plaza).
Supported by several prominent St. Louis businessmen including George Warren Brown, the founder of Brown Shoe Company, Edward “Daddy” Card (pictured to the right) began the work of the mission by serving free meals to poor men living on the streets of St. Louis.
BECOMING SUNSHINE MISSION
Later changing the name of the ministry to Sunshine Mission, “Daddy” Card continued to lead the mission for 30
years. Under his guidance, the mission moved several times including into three buildings that were located on the current site of the America Center. During those years, Sunshine Mission continued to grow by adding an overnight shelter for the homeless. Through the depression years the mission served an average of 100,000 men a year!
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
William Buschart, “Daddy” Card’s successor, led the mission through the celebration of the 50th Anniversary in 1953. At that time he wrote, “God has graciously cared for and brought us to this jubilee year, indicating in innumerable ways His approval upon the work. Let us praise and thank Him from the depths of our hearts.”
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
Fifty years later, under the leadership of Jim and Carol Clarkson, the ministry once again proclaimed God’s goodness and grace toward the mission as they celebrated 100 years of faithfully answering God’s call to care for the poor and needy among us.
Desiring to expand the ministry’s outreach to families, programs were added for impoverished women and children with the addition of a Youth and Family Center and Eagle Lodge, a summer camp facility for kids.
In 2000 Sunshine Mission was incorporated and became Sunshine Ministries, Inc.
BUILDING ON A FIRM FOUNDATION
In 2013, God blessed the ministry by allowing Sunshine Ministries to break ground on a new Family C.A.R.E. Center as we celebrated our 110th Anniversary. And three years later, a new Resident Shelter was constructed to offer a “home” for men who were seeking encouragement and help to become the man God created them to be.
From our humble beginnings in a little store-front building on the corner of 7th and Market Streets, Sunshine Ministries is now serving our community from five facilities in the near north side of downtown St. Louis and a beautiful camp facility in Foristell, Missouri.
God has been faithful to Sunshine Ministries for close to 12 decades and we remain fully committed to sharing His love to our neighbors in need.
“Let the poor and needy praise your name." – Psalm 74:21