SunshineAndShade
About | Non-Profit 501(C) Mission
Oftentimes, we are struggling with the battles of our day-to-day (what we call shade), while also in the middle of a breakthrough (the sun). SunshineAndShade recognizes that while families may be walking into their calling eagerly, and giving God their YES, there will also be obstacles at the same time.
By serving as the hands and feet of Christ, we seek to bring encouragement, provision, and hope to families and communities in need. We stand and agree, you have a calling over your life, do not give up on what God has asked of you. There is a way. Let the light lead you. Seek, knock, and answers are coming.
Our Founder
Jackie Parra | Founder, SunshineAndShade
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In January 2024, Jackie Parra felt a clear and unmistakable calling from God to adopt a baby girl. This calling was something that had been so much a part of her all her life, with a heart to love any child and be a mother to many. She began exploring what adoption would look like for her family in Colorado. At the time, Jackie didn't know of any families that had recently adopted and started to do research on her own of what this process would look like. After she began sharing this calling and proclaiming the vision God had for her family, she was so surprised how many of her local mentors and church family had adopted themselves. What began as a personal calling quickly became surrounded by a community of encouragement, prayer, and affirmation.
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As Jackie researched agencies and consulted with family attorneys to understand the legal requirements of adoption—knowing that laws vary by state—she began to grasp what this journey might truly entail. Through the goodness and intention of God’s grace, she was connected with an agency that became a tremendous blessing throughout the process, offering guidance, support, and care during a season filled with both hope and uncertainty.
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While waiting for the daughter God had shown her to adopt, Jackie encountered significant opposition—much of it financial. As she learned more about adoption, she witnessed firsthand the deep and often desperate needs of both birth mothers and adoptive families. It became clear that many families are called to adoption but face overwhelming financial and logistical barriers that can delay or even prevent them from moving forward.
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When Jackie said YES to God, she did not know all that obedience would require. She did not yet understand the full financial or logistical cost—she simply knew, with certainty, that this was the path God had placed before her. Out of that obedience, SunshineAndShade was born. Jackie founded the organization to help other adoptive families complete the adoption process by offering adoption grants to home-study-approved families who are walking faithfully in their calling.
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Jackie’s heart also extends deeply to birth families and the local community. SunshineAndShade does not stop at adoption grants alone. Jackie saw that in some cases, birth mothers—when provided with the right support, such as a housing deposit or a month of rent—might desire and be able to parent their child, but lack the resources to do so often because of their responsibilities to having children already. Through her journey, she witnessed the many complex and deeply personal reasons adoption exists. SunshineAndShade seeks to support pregnant mothers in need of resources while also serving as a light to the broader community through holiday assistance, back-to-school support, and ongoing outreach.
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As a single mother for many years, Jackie understands firsthand how a single hardship—a medical bill, car repair, or winter tires—can set a family back significantly. She is profoundly grateful for the support she has received along her journey, and she recognizes that many families do not have the same situation. SunshineAndShade is committed to walking alongside families through emergency aid, prayer, and meaningful connections to resources.
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We dream big—of children being placed into the homes God has prepared for them, of lives changed through simple acts of provision, and of hearts restored through prayer and community. No act of obedience is too small to be seen, and no need is too great for God to meet. SunshineAndShade exists to stand in the gap—bringing light to the shade and hope to those pressing forward in faith.
