GRAY AND DANIELLE’S

TRIP AROUND THE SUN

TRANSITIONING ROLES, EMBRACING CHANGE

After nearly two years on the road, over 150 nonprofit partners, and hundreds of thousands of books spread throughout 30 states, the TRIP AROUND THE SUN is COMPLETE and Gray and Danielle are taking on smaller roles within The Sunstone Project Foundation.

What does this mean?

Gray and Danielle are ending the travel portion of the Sunstone Project and moving all of our work to the TRIP AROUND THE SUN tab (Impact, , Resources, etc.). We will be ending our full time positions running Sunstone, but we will still serve on the Leadership Team and Board of Directors for the Penny Project. You can still apply for grant funding/book orders via the APPLICATIONS page! Gray and Danielle means will still be helping to propose and approve grants and book request forms, and helping out where we can on more of a volunteer basis. This means that even though we are not seeing you in person or helping as directly with the grant approval process, we will still be a part of the Sunstone team!

Is the Sunstone Project still a branch of the Penny Project Foundation?

Our parent foundation, the Penny Project Foundation, will be absorbing the Sunstone Project name and mission, and will be known as the Sunstone Foundation moving forward. This means that qualifying nonprofits will still apply for grant and book requests through the Sunstone website, and they will be approved by the Sunstone Foundation Board of Directors (including Gray and Danielle!). To find the work Gray and Danielle have done (previously known as The Sunstone Project), check out our TRIP AROUND THE SUN page!

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS!

Words can not express how much Gray and Danielle have learned from each of our partners, and how grateful we are to have met all of you in our journey. It has been so eye opening to see the work that you do in person, and all of the children/people whose lives you have impacted. We knew when we started the Sunstone Project that we would not be able to lift up each child in the country that needs help, but to quote TJ Klune’s House on the Cerulean Sea, “While we may not be able to help them all, we will do as much as we can for all those put in our path.” We truly believe that we were meant to cross paths with each of our partners, and thank you for being part of our story. We are so proud of the amount of children we have been able to impact and all we have accomplished, we feel so humbled by the people and organizations that have gotten us to where we are today. Remember, even the smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest difference!

  • Gray Triandiflou

    PROJECT LEAD

  • Danielle Lucido

    PROJECT LEAD

OUR STORY

As two college students beginning their senior year, we were struck with the question that every college students dreads to answer: What are we going to do with the rest of our lives?

After a long discussion, we realized we were passionate about two things: traveling the country and finding a way to help the people we met along the way. We wondered, how amazing would it be to have a job where you get to do something kind for someone every day?

This idea ignited a spark within us to do everything in our power to make a difference in any way that we can. We will travel the country, helping people in every place that we stop. We’ll do this by partnering with non-profit organizations and planning projects to best serve their community. We will do a variety of things including holding community events for equality, campaigning for mental health, or even just making someone smile when they are having a bad day. As long as one person’s world becomes a little brighter, even the smallest acts are worth it.

We are two strong women who are passionate about social justice, equality, education, open-mindedness, and progressive movement. We believe it is our responsibility to do everything we can to help build up our community and fight for what is right.

— Your Sunshine Specialists, Gray Triandiflou and Danielle Lucido

Why The “Sunstone” Project?

What is a Sunstone?

Sunstone properties are connected to the energy of the Sun.* This crystal’s bright, positive, uplifting energy can help align your mind, body, and spirit. Whether you feel like you’re living on auto-pilot or you feel overcome with darkness, the Sunstone crystal shines a light on all the opportunities for happiness and joy that surround you.

The Sunstone meaning reminds you that life is meant for living and enjoying. Although we all experience ups and downs, there are always lights at the end of the tunnel. A Sunstone stone teaches you to treat every day as a chance to live life to the fullest. Just as the sun rises each day, the Sunstone crystal can help you to find the bright side every day. 

The Sunstone Foundation

The meaning behind the Sunstone mirrors our project’s mission and impact we hope to leave behind. The Sunstone Project is all about brightening up the day of as many people as we possibly can, and leaving a reminder that even on the worst of days, there is still so much good in the world and so many opportunities for happiness. The Sunstone Foundation thrives to embody the meaning of the sunstone in every project that we do!

*Notice our logo is a rising sun!