Avys Sunshine Tribe

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe is a grassroots nonprofit established in honor of 22-month-old Aveline Lucille Hill, who was tragically killed in a car crash in May 2023. Created around her “Avy Sunshine” spirit, she was filled with joy for all things outdoors. We aim to spread her sunshine far and wide by encouraging people to get outside, build community, and love our lost loved ones out loud through eternity.

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe Mission:

The mission of Avy's Sunshine Tribe is to serve communities by constructing outdoor recreational playgrounds and playscapes that provide play spaces for children of all ages. We are dedicated to facilitating communities of support and social connection through meetups and public events in honor of our lost loved ones. 

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe Cedars Playground Project

Our main project is building a much-needed community playground in the Cedars neighborhood where Avy was born and raised. The Cedars, located less than a mile south of downtown Dallas, is a growing community  yet it does not have a single public playground.

We believe that every child, regardless of ability, background, or circumstance, deserves a safe, welcoming place to play, grow, and connect with others. This playground will be inclusive, designed to be accessible for children and families of all abilities and ages, and to serve as a vibrant hub for connection.

The playground project is more than connecting our children, it’s about providing a much-needed outdoor space for our community that is rooted in the heart of the neighborhood. The Cedars is filled with talented local artists and small businesses, and we envision a park that reflects that creative energy. In partnership with the City of Dallas, we want to ensure the park has 

• Safe lighting and fencing

• Comfortable seating and shaded areas

• Electricity for small community events and performances

• ADA-accessible play features

• Spaces for art, grief, reflection, and connection

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe Annual Kite Festival in Honor of All Lost Loved Ones

Each year, we host the Avy’s Sunshine Kite Festival, a free community event where hundreds gather to decorate and fly kites in honor of the people they love and miss. Inspired by the Sumpango Kite Festival in Guatemala, it is a way to gather and remember our lost loved ones, celebrate life with joyful music, community partners, vibrant local art, water activities, kid sponsored lemonade and hot dog stands, and of course all the kite flying fun! 

The festival includes kite decorating, music, food vendors, art installations, and opportunities to share stories and memories. In 2025, we welcomed more than 500 attendees, making it one of the most meaningful and unifying events in the Cedars and were honored to be the sacred space of joy and memory of everyone’s impactful stories of loss. Proceeds and sponsorships from the kite festival directly support the Cedars Playground Project, ensuring that joy, remembrance, and community-building continue to grow side by side.

Avy’s Sunshine Tribe Progress

• Fall 2024, officially became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

• Raised over $50,000 through grassroots donations and community events.

• Entered formal discussions with the City of Dallas Parks & Recreation Department to establish a “Friends Of” partnership, which will allocate underutilized City land in the Cedars for our playground project.

• Partnered with local artists, small businesses, and community leaders to envision a park that is safe, inclusive, and reflective of our neighborhood’s unique culture.

• Been working with playground architect companies to develop concept designs and achieve an overall general budget to aid in our fundraising efforts. 

• Based on the above, developing playground sponsorship packages to showcase larger sponsors in their support of the completed playground! 

• At the same time, develop smaller donation inclusions within the playground to highlight the immense grassroots movement this project has garnered! 

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Where Your Donation to Avy’s Sunshine Tribe Goes

North Texas Giving Day is your chance to be part of something lasting and life-giving in so many important ways. Every contribution, whether $5 or $5,000 moves us closer to building this inclusive community playground in the Cedars in Dallas!

Your donation is more than a gift, it’s spreading sunshine in all of your lost loved ones honor as we continue to love all our lost loved ones out loud through eternity! If you’d like to make your donation in honor of someone you lost, we’d love to read their names and join you in remembering and honoring them. 

Come join and follow what we’re up to at @AvysSunshineTribe on social media and AvysSunshineTribe.com