Sunshine Haven, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides end-of-life care in a home-like setting on a donation-only basis. Planning began in 1998 with a group of Brownsville residents, headed by Lois del Castillo, the first Registered Nurse of Brownsville and the retired director of Heart of the Valley Hospice. Mrs. del Castillo knew the urgent need for this type of facility in Cameron County and was familiar with the services provided by Comfort House in McAllen, Tx in Hidalgo County.
The Brownsville group incorporated as Sunshine Haven, Inc., and, in December 1999, received a 501(c)3 designation by the Internal Revenue Service. They located an attractive three-bedroom wheel-chair-accessible home in Olmito, a semi-rural area on the north side of Brownsville. The home was purchased and redecorated with money raised locally, including major gifts from the Serafy Foundation and the Brownsville Foundation for Health and Education. Sunshine Haven was dedicated on November 4, 2000 and the first patient admitted two days later. Since then, Sunshine Haven has served over 1,400 patients, our youngest being a newborn (three days old) and our oldest being a centenarian.
With the growing demand of palliative end of life care, in 2014 Sunshine Haven constructed "The Angel Wing", creating capacity of 8 rooms. Thanks to the local community and foundations such as Tijerina, Meadows, Trull, The Earl Sams and the Brownsville Foundation for Health and Education. Sunshine Haven, Inc. is a licensed State of Texas "Special Care Facility" under the Department of Health and Human Services. As a "Special Care Facility" Sunshine Haven is not allowed to bill ANYONE, which was always the intent of our founder.
