History
Our History
Established in 1907, Sunbeam is one of Oklahoma’s longest-serving nonprofits. Sunbeam helps over 6,200 Central Oklahoma children and families learn, grow, and thrive each year through early childcare and education, with specialized extra support for entire family systems, including mental health services, and programming for foster families and grandparents raising their grandchildren. The nonprofit is also a founding agency of the United Way of Central Oklahoma.
1907
Sunbeam opened as a home for children in Mesta Park.
1924
Sunbeam was a founding partner of the United Way of Central Oklahoma.
1930s
Sunbeam started casework services, foster care, and opened a nursery for children of women working in war-related industries during World War II.
1940s
Sunbeam began offering adult mental health services, the only community-based ones in Oklahoma at that time. They also helped create the Oklahoma County Juvenile Bureau.
2003
Sunbeam started its Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program.
2004
Sunbeam got its first federal grant to help more children through Early Head Start with partners Latino Community Development Agency and Oklahoma City Public Schools.
2009
Sunbeam, with community partners including Inasmuch Foundation, opened Educare Oklahoma City, part of the Educare Network.
2015
Sunbeam received an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grant and began working with local childcare centers and nonprofits.
2017
Sunbeam got its second EHS-CCP grant and expanded partnerships with childcare providers, nonprofits, and OKCPS.
2019
Sunbeam received its third EHS-CCP grant and partnered with Millwood Public Schools, Positive Tomorrows, and ReMerge, while also expanding its partnership with OKCPS, to open Millwood Early Education Center.
2020
Sunbeam opened Pierce Early Education Center, a former OKCPS elementary school.
2021
Sunbeam got more Early Head Start slots and opened Harbison Early Education and Kiwanis Community Center.
2022
Sunbeam opened Edwards Early Education and Community Hope Center, another former OKCPS elementary school.
2023
Sunbeam opened Metro Tech Early Education Center with Metro Tech. Sunbeam also took over Early Birds and Parenting Pathways services.
2024
Sunbeam received an expansion grant to grow Home Visitation and Early Head Start and Head Start services.
2025
Sunbeam will open Sunbeam Early Education Center.