Shining Stars Foundation

The Shining Stars Foundation provides sports, recreational, and outreach programs for children, ages 6-18, with cancer and life-threatening diseases at no cost to the child or their families throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. A special focus is placed on children living with a physical or mental disability as a result of their treatment and/or disease.  The two largest events for kids are the Aspen Winter Games and Aspen Summer Adventure. The Foundation also operates a year-round program, “Kids Helping Kids”, which teaches over 400 local students each year about philanthropy and volunteering, as well as promotes understanding of children with cancer and life-threatening diseases.

A majority of programs accommodate the entire family, with a few programs tailored specifically to the child. The Shining Stars Foundation is currently the only nonprofit in Colorado and one of few nationally providing long-term, year-round care for children and their families through recreational programming at any stage in their cancer battle, including treatment, relapse, or remission. We continue to be groundbreaking in our ability to safely adapt a diverse range of outdoor adventures to meet the needs of children with a life threatening illness.

The Shining Stars Foundation makes an impact by meeting the needs not addressed by medical treatments, mainly the devastating emotional, social, and psychological toll that cancer takes on the entire family. We ignite hope and renew their spirits.

At first serving only a handful of children from Colorado, the Foundation has now served over 1,500 children and 5,000 family members from 160 towns in 19 states. The Foundation continues to grow each year, expanding its geographic reach, offering more services, and helping more families in need.