|
|
News, Updates & Opportunities
December 2022
|
|
Join the Birthday Club this Holiday Season |
|
For most of us, providing a birthday party for someone is a simple act of kindness. In fact, many families are able to host multiple birthday parties in a single year. Yet, for someone who is homeless and living in a car or shelter, putting on a birthday party can seem impossible. And the child whose birthday is missed often feels isolated or forgotten. Your contribution to the Birthday Club means that at least one child will be given the birthday experience they wish for!
As a Birthday Club member, you are a part of a special group of people who are making a real, tangible difference in the unpredictable lives of homeless children. Your generosity provides a gift of joy, dignity, self-esteem, and hope.
Click here to learn more about or to join our Birthday Club.
|
|
Starting on December 1st and running through December 31st (or whenever the Cookie Kits sell out), Oh Kelly’s Cookies will be donating 10% of their Cookie Kit sales to Birthday Dreams.
|
|
|
Each $32 Cookie Kit contains 12 vanilla bean-infused sugar cookies, 100% real buttercream frosting, and three small packs of holiday sprinkles. The kits make a great holiday party activity or holiday gift. Purchase yours today from the Oh Kelly’s Cookies Instagram page.
|
|
Tribute Giving | The Gift that Gives |
This holiday season, consider honoring a friend or loved one with a tribute gift and change a child's life today.
How Does Tribute Giving Work?
Decide which giving level is best for you. Select to have a card sent to either yourself or your loved one.
- One Birthday-in-a-Box each month for a year ($1,500)
- Goody Bag Supplies for one month ($625)
- Sponsor a Group Party at a Shelter: $250
- Birthday-in-a-Box (includes goody bags) ($125)
- Gifts and Party Supplies ($75)
- Birthday Gifts ($50)
- Birthday Cake ($25)
- Goody Bags for 4 ($10)
|
|
With your support we are committed to continuing to bring hope, joy and a sense of self-worth to homeless children with the gift of a birthday party. And the below feedback, from the parents of children who recently received a Birthday Dreams party, is the reason why:
"I'm in a shelter and I'm a single parent of two kids. My son is turning eight this year and has never had a party with friends. Four of six friends came to the party. [My son was] ecstatic!" - JR
"We were really down on our luck this year with finances...Birthday Dreams helped us getting presents for our little ones...The look on their faces [made all the difference]. It was all possible because of Birthday Dreams." - Name Protected
"As a single mom to three children six and under we really appreciate the help. You guys [Birthday Dreams] are truly amazing. My mom and his sisters were happy [their brother] had a great Birthday thanks to you." - KK
|
|
|
Holiday Drives Yield Toys, Financial Support and Community Awareness |
|
Throughout November, Valley Medical Center hosted a toy drive benefitting Birthday Dreams. Toys collected from their ten locations filled up our delivery vehicle to the brim! Birthday Dreams is extremely grateful to the amazing Valley Medical Center team and everyone who donated toys. Your generosity will help ensure homeless children throughout the community feel celebrated on their special day.
|
|
|
|
|
The 10x Real Estate Group and Nexa Mortgage held their Annual Toy & Coat Drive on December 2nd as part of a fun-filled Casino Night-themed event. Birthday Dreams was one of the benefitting charities of this year's drive. The 150+ guests in attendance donated a TON of toys and coats and donated over $3900.
|
|
|
Our thanks to Thai Nguyen, Frances Nguyen, and Mark Blauman for putting on an AMAZING event and being such terrific advocates for Birthday Dreams |
|
Stephanie Lynch and Compass Realty organized an event for Birthday Dreams that featured a toy drive and photos with Santa. The event was held on December 3rd at Dacca Barn in Fife. Dozens of supporters showed their holiday spirit, donating toys that will brighten the lives of many, many Birthday Dreams kids this year!
Our thanks to Stephanie and the whole team at Compass Realty for their generosity!
|
|
|
A huge thank you to Amy Nguyen and Nia Nguyen for hosting a toy drive to benefit Birthday Dreams. The real estate brokers with John L Scott took over the bar at the Nibbana Thai Restaurant at the Landing, inviting family, friends, and clients. Guests enjoyed pictures with the amazing Santa Chuck. There was a great turnout – standing room only! Every guest brought in at least one toy to donate and often more. Thanks to the generosity of their guests, they donated a total of 121 gifts.
|
|
|
Volunteer Spotlight - Mark Blauman |
|
Mark Blauman, a local Renton businessman and community member has been volunteering with Birthday Dreams since 2018. He had been working in the area organizing local silent auctions to benefit charities when he came to learn about Birthday Dreams. After going through some of his own experiences as a child, he felt especially drawn to the mission of Birthday Dreams. He has said that “service to others is like therapy to me.”
In 2021, Mark joined the Birthday Dreams Gala of Dreams procurement committee, leveraging his personal and professional contacts resulting in thousands of dollars of donated items. In 2022, Mark led the procurement committee resulting in a record-breaking fundraising effort for Birthday Dreams.
Mark’s service to Birthday Dreams doesn’t end with the gala. He continues to put Birthday Dreams front and center. Through his business relationships as an insurance agent with Farmers Insurance, Mark teamed up with the 10X Real Estate Group to support their recent casino night and toy drive where Birthday Dreams was a beneficiary of the evening.
|
|
Community Support and Recognition |
|
Each month Birthday Dreams receives grant awards from our terrific foundation partners. We would like to highlight the financial support from the following grant funders:
- First Financial Northwest Foundation - $10,000
- The Glaser Foundation - $3,500
- Whole Foods Market Community Giving Program - $2,750
- TEGNA Foundation - $2,500
- Enterprise Holdings Foundation - $2,000
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the above foundations for their generosity and support of Birthday Dreams!
|
|
This year and Birthday Dreams received nearly $1,500 in donations from our network of amazing supporters – THANK YOU! |
|
|
|
|
Kids Helping Kids
In October, Anu Chopra wrote to Birthday Dreams expressing her 10-year-old son's, Rishaan Kapoor, interest in hosting a bake sale to raise money for Birthday Dreams. Anu wrote, "My entire family resonates with your cause and is impressed with your operations. We have donated in the past and this time my son would like to make an effort to raise funds..."
|
|
|
With parental support, Anu and friends, (pictured from L-R: Rishaan, Aditya Bazaz, Yuktha Atluri, Rikin Kapoor, Arihaant Bazaz) created signage to promote two bake sales held at Interlake High and Mountlake Terrace high schools, on November 12 and December 11 respectively. The events raised over $165; Vivek Kapoor added $400 to that for a total donation of $565.
Birthday Dreams is incredibly thankful for and proud of this amazing group of Kids Helping Kids. And appreciate the parents who value and promote community service.
|
|
Awesome Cakes Delivered with Love |
|
We just love this cheery Lego cake created by Molly Boyd, which certainly brought a smile to the face of the 9-year-old boy who received it. Our thanks to Jim Waugh for making the delivery - and to the Friends of Birthday Dreams who donated gifts for the birthday boy.
|
|
This princess cake, adorned with a colorful train of flowers, made a sweet birthday girl turning three, feel like royalty. This was one of FIVE cakes baked by Alicia Klovenas in response to a "cake need" for Mary's Place Shelter. In addition to baking the cakes, Alicia donated all of the juice for the parties and accompanied driver Jim Waugh to make the VERY SPECIAL delivery.
|
|
Cake baker Wendy Rocke made this sweet Hello Kitty cake for a soon-to-be teenage girl. The cake along with gifts and party supplies were delivered by Jim Waugh.
|
|
Volunteer Orientation and Opportunities
We are always in need of amazing volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved, please attend one of our upcoming in person orientations:
- Saturday, January 14 at 11AM
- Tuesday, January 17 at 6PM
Contact our Community Events Coordinator, Leah Battin, at Leah@birthdaydreams.org for team building and service project opportunities.
A list of upcoming parties and party needs can be found here.
|
|
|
|
Our thanks to the following individuals and organizations who joined or renewed their Birthday Dreams Birthday Club membership in November:
Dawn and JayDee Dohrmann, Eva Evans, Grony Park, Jama Cantrell, The Arfsten Trust, Quota International of Kent Valley, Karen Middaugh, Costco Wholesale Corp, Trishah Bull, Jason and Stephanie Azarcon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
