How music drives a greater mission for one Decatur thrift store + how to help

Jeff and Andrea Sharp and their Decatur-based nonprofit, Everyday Sunshine, urgently need help with space and support.

They’re seeking two new spaces—a larger home for the popular thrift store that creates jobs for people with disabilities, and a bit of land for the all-inclusive playground that’s been in the works since 2019.

Read on for more about the Sharps’ story and how you can support the Everyday Sunshine mission.

Meet Amelie Sharp

Jeff and Andrea met among mutual friends during high school, not long after she moved with her family from California. After dating into early adulthood, they eventually married.

The Sharps welcomed their daughter, Amelie, in 2007. While it’s common that becoming parents brings major life changes, it was especially transformative for this family.

Amelie was born with TUBB 5, a rare brain disorder, along with ataxic cerebral palsy and congenital cataracts. Medical appointments instantly became a way of life in addition to the day-to-day learning and dedication required to raise a child with these challenges.

“As soon as we had Amelie, Andrea would be giving her a bath, and I was writing ukulele songs and playing for her. Andrea said, ‘You know, you should make a record of this, so we’re not listening to Barney in the car.'”
_{Jeff Sharp}

Music, art + Jeff’s early years

Since it’s safe to say that most spouses don’t default to “go make a record” to solve parenthood dilemmas, let’s rewind.

The melody running through this nonprofit’s story also runs through Jeff’s. He and his two brothers grew up to become a creative trifecta in North Alabama and beyond.

• Eldest John, now a historian at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, played in several bands in the late ’80s and ’90s, most notably the Quadrajets.
• Following his lead, Jeff also pursued music, forming local bands + even doing two national tours in a group supporting the L.A. rock band, Fishbone, in the late 1990s. (More on that in a moment.)
• Jason “JBird” became a much-loved local visual artist, whose work you’ll find in many homes + businesses around town.

Tangerines, sunshine + growth

With that context, here’s what happened after Andrea’s suggestion to create some cool kids’ music:

• Jeff shared the idea with friends, fellow musicians + Decaturites, drummer James Pressnell and bassist Josh Lovvorn, who introduced him to Bobby Blount, an accountant by day + musician at heart.
• They formed a band called Tangerine Tambourine + wrote original music just for kids and families.
• The band recorded an album in 2009 + picked up many local bookings.
• As Amelie grew, Jeff + Andrea sought ways to connect with other families with shared experiences, which they found through two local organizations, Extraordinary People + Shining Stars.
• Tangerine Tambourine started performing at these groups’ monthly social events.

Beyond the entertainment, the Sharps began having deeper conversations with other parents of kids with disabilities. They found they all shared the same primary concerns about what their children could do after they aged out of school to gain more independence, and, ultimately, how their kids’ lives would be as adults after the parents passed on.

Those conversations planted the seed for Everyday Sunshine’s greater mission. Named after the 1991 song by Fishbone, the nonprofit became official as a 501(c)(3) in 2012, at the suggestion of co-founder Blount.

In 2017, the Sharps welcomed a lot more sunshine with the arrival of their second daughter, Jules.

Joy, loss, grief + renewed purpose

With late 2019 came the first of several tragic events, starting with younger brother Jason’s unexpected death in November. A month later, Everyday Sunshine bandmate, co-founder and friend, Blount, shared he’d been diagnosed with cancer. Within a few months, the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns began. And just four days before the anniversary of Jason’s passing, Blount passed away.

During this entire time, Jeff committed to creating music and art every day. He says that while it helped him process some grief, doing so in the pandemic’s partial isolation helped recenter him on his purpose. While deeply missing collaboration and validation, the circumstances forced him to make things just for himself this time.

“The author and artist, Austin Kleon, his whole thing is to make the movie you want to watch and play the music you want to hear. I thought, ‘Well, okay, I’m just gonna do what I do. If everybody thinks it’s weird, then it’s weird. But at least it’s me.'”
_{Jeff Sharp}

As it turned out, a lot of folks didn’t think it was weird—or maybe just the right kind of weird—and many got on board to support the new art and music, and help Everyday Sunshine with ambitious plans.

Your cool stuff = jobs + inclusivity

What started as a music project to bring joy to children and their families in similar situations has grown into:

• A vision and support to develop an accessible playground in Decatur
• A thrift store opened in 2022 that creates jobs for people with disabilities
• Collaboration with the school district and other organizations to provide workforce training to students of different abilities
• Awareness about these demands while leading by example in meeting them

“This is what God was leading us toward. Ever since we got the idea for the business, his guidance to me had always been wait, wait, wait, wait. Over that time were growing spiritually, and then the wait was gone.”
_{Andrea Sharp}

After three years with the thrift store in its current space adjacent to a church, the organization is looking to relocate to a larger home. The move will allow it to continue its mission of creating meaningful work, life skills and purpose for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The search also continues for the best spot for the playground.

How you can help

Currently, the organization is almost halfway to its fundraising goal for the thrift store’s move. Part of those funds came through an online auction dominated by high-quality and rare music gear.

An April benefit show by one of Sharp’s bands, Herzogs, helped raise money, too. Fishbone co-founder and acclaimed bass guitarist Norwood Fisher joined them onstage in Decatur and is working with the musicians on a new project.  

Meanwhile, if you’d like to pitch in to support the mission, you can:

🛍️ Donate items + shop at Everyday Sunshine

• Where: 1311 19th Ave SE, Decatur, AL 35601
• When: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM
• More Info: Facebook | Website

💵 Donate directly to the Everyday Sunshine moving fund. (While the auction has ended, the fundraiser is still open.)

Want to stay in the know about people making a difference in their communities + how to get involved around North Alabama? Follow Hville Blast on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter.