Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Premier Properties & The Sunshine Kids Foundation
Fargo-Moorhead, philanthropy often looks like neighbors showing up for one another. For Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, that commitment is seen through their long-standing support of The Sunshine Kids Foundation, which is a national nonprofit dedicated to children battling cancer.
The Sunshine Kids Foundation was established in 1982 with a mission to offer comfort, stability, and moments of happiness to children whose lives have been interrupted by cancer treatment. Since 2008, the BHHS Premier Properties office in Fargo has embraced that mission wholeheartedly by raising more than $755,000 to support this amazing cause. What makes The Sunshine Kids program unique is how tangible the impact is. Funds raised locally stay local. Children from our North Dakota and Minnesota region are given the opportunity to attend week-long, allexpenses-paid trips with other kids who are going through similar medical journeys. These trips— whether to Orlando, New York City, Colorado, or New Orleans—are carefully planned and fully supported by licensed medical professionals, including traveling nurses who manage medications and treatment protocols along the way.
“It’s not about escaping reality,” Marketing Director Cassie Edwards, who helps coordinate fundraising efforts, said. “It’s about giving these kids a chance to just be kids.”
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Each trip costs roughly $10,000 per child after accounting for medical staffing, supplies, travel, lodging, and activities. Children typically attend once, though in rare cases— depending on diagnosis and treatment cycles—some may attend more than once. Participation is always based on a child’s health and ability to travel safely.
For many families, the experience is transformative. There are no parents on the trips, a decision that may seem daunting at first, but often becomes a source of empowerment for the children. They build independence, confidence, and friendships with peers who truly understand what it means to live with cancer.
Maureen Bartelt, Broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, has witnessed these relationships grow over the years. “We’ve watched kids go from little boys to young men,” she said. “They stay connected long after the trips are over. Those bonds are lifelong.”
One local Sunshine Kid, Jaxson, spent more than three years undergoing active cancer treatment—over 1,300 days. Once an active athlete, his entire high school experience was reshaped by illness. Through The Sunshine Kids, he found community, encouragement, and moments of joy in the middle of a long fight. Stories like his are what keep the Fargo real estate team, and brokerage, committed year after year.
Some Sunshine Kids eventually return as mentors or pursue careers in healthcare, inspired by the professionals who supported them during treatment. Others simply carry forward the knowledge that they were never alone.
The primary driver behind BHHS Premier Properties’ fundraising success is their annual Summer Charity Golf Tournament, now approaching its 19th year. The event consistently sells out and is known not just for its cause, but for the experience it offers—two hot meals, thoughtful details, and an atmosphere that reflects genuine care. In addition to the main tournament, a secondary event in the fall at Suite Shots has helped expand awareness and participation.
Last year alone, the tournament raised approximately $70,000 after expenses. That success is powered by community sponsors, business partners, in-kind donations, and the company’s own agents, many of whom contribute a portion of their commissions to the foundation each year.
Support doesn’t stop at financial contributions. A committee and staff come together in the days leading up to the tournament to prepare materials, assemble swag bags, and ensure every detail reflects the importance of the cause.
We’re incredibly proud to support The Sunshine Kids, because it represents what community truly means. Being able to bring moments of joy, hope, and normalcy to children and families facing unimaginable challenges is a powerful reminder of why giving back matters.
Our son Jaxson was diagnosed with Leukemia in February of 2022 at the age of 13. In the summer of 2023, the Life Specialist with Sanford approached us with wanting to take him on a Sunshine Kids' trip to Vail, CO. We were so excited for him, but were also hesitant, for he was at that time wheelchair bound because of the weakness and other side effects of the chemo. He did go and Sunshine Kids' adapted to everything he needed at that time! He was able to have a wheelchair waiting for him wherever he went, and even got an adaptive ski sled for skiing on the trip! He had a great time and met awesome kids his age who were going through the same thing! In Spring of 2025, the Sanford Life Specialist approached us again and said she felt Jaxson didn't have the best experience that she wanted him to have because of the restrictions he had to have. Therefore, she had spoken with The Sunshine Kid Foundation, and they had agreed to send him on another trip! This time, to New York! He went there in July of 2025, and the memories he has shared with us while he was there will last forever! We are so thankful and grateful for Sunshine Kids and what they have done for our son! For three and a half years, his number one priority was his health and fighting to be with us longer. So he wasn't able to be a kid and do what normal teenagers were doing. So to be able to go on these trips that he enjoyed so much and meet other kids who have been through the same, that he still talks to now, is just so awesome! I hope for all the kids that are able to go on these trips, it is a light for them during a dark time when their whole world stopped for this awful disease.
“When you know the kids personally—when you’ve met them, watched them grow, seen their families—you show up differently,” Edwards said.
Beyond events, community members can support The Sunshine Kids Foundation through donations, sponsorships, prize contributions, or in-kind services that help offset tournament costs. As a registered 501(c)(3), all donations are tax-deductible.
“We wouldn’t put this much work into something we didn’t believe in,” Bartelt said. “Seeing the impact on these kids and their families—it’s humbling. It reminds you why community matters.”
Ways to Support the Sunshine Kids Foundation
- Sponsor the Annual Golf Tournament
- Participate in Fundraising Events
- Donate Prizes or Swag Items
- Spread Awareness
- Provide In-Kind Donations by Contacting the Team at:
Donations can be made out to The Sunshine Kids Foundation and mailed to:
1815 38th Street S, Fargo, ND 58103
Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Premier Properties
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