Recovered Quadriplegic Devotes Life To Serving Children
Watch the Interview
Interview by Devin Thorpe for Your Mark on the World.
Read the article
Written by Api Podder for Your Mark on the World.
As a child, Karli Sue VerHoef was a quadriplegic. At the time, she was told she always would be. She came to appreciate how she depended on others for help. When she recovered, she considered it such a gift that she has devoted her life to serving children.
On January 15, 2018, VerHoef will be leading a community service project for the Children’s Justice Centers in both Salt Lake County and Utah County. The event includes the Utah Chapter of the Cornell Alumni Association and the All Ivy Plus community as well as the Your Mark on the World Center community (that means you if you’re reading this). Learn more and register here.
The following is the pre-interview with Karlie Sue VerHoef. Be sure to watch the recorded interview above.
What is the problem you solve and how do you solve it?
We partner with rural communities and development experts on the ground to assess local needs. Then evaluate programs that will lead to sustainable impact and positive change. Together we assess each project to improve existing programs and implement promising ideas. We pull together resources from our networks to fund the initial costs of high-impact projects. Communities take the lead and together we work to ensure each project is implemented.
More about Sunshine Heroes Foundation:
Sunshine Heroes Foundation was established with the mission to improve the lives of children and their families locally and around the world. We believe that, even if we only help one, every child is worth empowering and deserving of a bright future.
Revenue model: Sunshine Heroes is proud to offer several opportunities for individual and corporate involvement! And the best part about it? 100% of every donation made will directly fund our global projects and improve the lives of children. Sunshine generates revenue by implementing projects and collecting donations (monetary and in-kind), payroll deduction is offered through specific business partners who coordinate with Sunshine Heroes Foundation.
Karli Sue VerHoef’s bio:
Karli Sue VerHoef is the current Director of Impact for Tesani Companies and Director of Sunshine Heroes Foundation. As Director, Karli has assisted in the building and maintaining of ten children centers worldwide; additionally, she had lead the efforts of improving the lives of over 500k children through education, health, and clean water projects. Locally, Karli goes straight to the source to fix and implement strategies to help strengthen children and families. In 2017, Karli volunteered as the music teacher at local elementary schools who had lost funding for these programs.Her passion for making a difference is apparent in her daily activities. Whether at work or at home, Karli and her family can be found trying to make this world a better place.
When Karli joined Sunshine Heroes Foundation in 2017, she took their revenue from $448,793.83 to $1,581,887.70. She did this by taking the Foundation in a different direction, becoming project driven vs. revenue driven.
As a single mother of 5 children, Karli is constantly on the go. Before becoming Director of Sunshine, she put her efforts in starting a local preschool where lower income and refugee children could attend for free. With humble beginnings, her preschool has now grown into a self sustaining business.
Besides doing her best to make a positive impact on the world, Karli can be found: coaching crossfit, dancing in the kitchen with her kids, or reading a good book outdoors.. Passionate about people, traveling, and tacos, Karli is ready to change the world one child, one family at a time.