News, Updates & Opportunities

February 2026

A Birthday Dreams Events

Event sponsors are a vital part of the success of our fundraising events. We highlight our sponsors in Birthday Dreams communications, our website, in newsletters, event signage and at our events. If you, your company or the company you work for are interested in sponsoring one of our fundraising events (listed below), please contact our Development Director Jarod.

Par-Tee Golf Tournament | June 15

When: Monday, June 15

Tee Time: Scramble Start at 1:30pm

Where: Washington National Golf Course, Auburn

Register solo or rally a team for a fun-filled day of golf, community, and impact. Teams of four will enjoy 18 holes of golf, followed by a lively reception with refreshments, awards, sponsor shout-outs, and a celebratory Birthday Dreams Toast.

Miles for Smiles Activity Challenge | May 15 - 29

Do your 2026 goals include being more active, philanthropic or community-centered? The Miles for Smiles Activity Challenge is great way for you to achieve those goals!

All movement counts!

Reasons to Join Miles for Smiles?

Great team building opportunity; foster employee engagement for a good cause
Foster closer connection with friends and family; work together toward a common goal
Set personal fitness and charitable giving goals
Participate anytime, anywhere; feel good while doing good
Be part of a fun, uplifting philanthropic community

Want to learn more? Watch our video!

Gala of Dreams | September 26

Denim and Diamonds is the theme of the Saturday, September 26 Gala of Dreams at the Museum of Flight. Save the date for this blue jeans and bling, casual meets elegant, life-changing impact event.

More details and registration information will be coming soon.

This is Why We Do It

Recently, Birthday Dreams helped a father, newly learning to be a full-time single parent, give his son a birthday to remember. With less than a week until his son's birthday and no means to provide a celebration or gifts, another parent in the shelter housing complex where he resides told him about Birthday Dreams. He left a message on a Sunday, and shared what happened next:

"On Monday afternoon [Birthday Dreams] called me back asking about themes and cakes, etc. [My son's] birthday was that Wednesday, but we decided to celebrate on Saturday...[Birthday Dreams] delivered on Friday. I was surprised at everything that happened on such short notice. When I told [my son] about the party he was very happy and so excited. He could not wait. It made a lot of difference. I didn't have the money to make a party. I was just going to do cake and ice cream, the party turned out much more exciting for him and me. Thank you."

With your continued support, we are committed to bringing hope and joy to the community we serve through the gift of a birthday celebration.

Fun, New Opportunities to Get Involved

Join Our Events Team! Help Make Birthday Dreams Even Bigger!

We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our Events Team; people who love planning, organizing, connecting, and making things happen. Whether you have experience with event logistics, sponsorship outreach, marketing, or just love helping create unforgettable experiences, we’d love to have you on the team! As part of the Events Team, you’ll:

Help shape exciting new fundraising events
Support our mission in creative, community-building ways
Work with a fun, passionate group of volunteers

If you’re interested in joining the team or learning more, contact Brandi Martinez at brandi@birthdaydreams.org.

Community Support and Recognition

Hasbro

We are beyond grateful to Hasbro for their extraordinary donation of 612 toys, valued at more than $9,000! From beloved board games to dolls and figurines, these gifts will help us create unforgettable birthday celebrations for children who might otherwise go without. Thank you, Hasbro, for helping us turn ordinary days into moments of joy and celebration.

United Way of King County MLK Jr Day of Service

For MLK Day, employees from Kaiser (who have volunteered with us three years running) and King Conservation District Washington Conservation Corps Crew came to our office for a day of giving. During morning and afternoon shifts, volunteers filled our upstairs and downstairs spaces, picking and wrapping gifts, making paper candles for the 'pin the candle on the cupcake' game, and sorted candy. We were thrilled with how many volunteers brought their young children to help out. Our hearts are always full seeing kids helping kids. It was an awesome productive, energic and uplifting day! Thank you to all who were involved.

Cambia Health Foundation

We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Cambia Health Foundation. In January, they awarded us a generous donation that covered supplies for 200 goody bags. Celicia Yeoman invited Birthday Dreams to collaborate with Regence BlueShield to assemble the goody bags. Teresa Fulton and the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) and Public Sector Account Teams completed the project and also spent time creating birthday party hats to help make celebrations extra special.

Jennifer Lacey, one of the amazing volunteers, shared “Creating and decorating gift bags and party hats for homeless children and families was the perfect way to bring our team together while making a real difference in or community.”

Starbucks Kent Plant

Shout out to the Starbucks Kent Plant! They had an inventory sale at the plant and donated the proceeds to Birthday Dreams and another local charity.

Ridson Middle School

This month we are honored to have been selected as the charity of choice by the Risdon Middle School in Newcastle! Their student-driven fundraiser invites students and families to

participate in a friendly competition where students/families purchase tokens, with each grade level having a different color.

At the end of the two-week fundraiser, participating students

gather to toss the tokens into a wishing well on the stage and the grade with the most points gets a big surprise!

This is a fantastic way to get the youth involved and aware of what Birthday Dreams does for the children and families we serve!

Hallock Family

We were so fortunate to meet Seth Hallock at an end-of-year BECU meeting and celebration, where he and his colleagues set aside time to create birthday party items for Birthday Dreams. In January, Seth reached out to learn how he and his beautiful family could volunteer. Soon after, he stopped by our office to pick up supplies and took them home, where the family worked together to create birthday party hats. Thank you, Hallock Family!

Honoring Kyla

We are incredibly humbled and grateful to Jennie Matlock and Ryan Freeman, who have generously given to Birthday Dreams in loving memory of their daughter, Kyla. Recently, we were honored to give them a tour of our facility. During that time we learned more about their precious daughter. Their words say it best: “In her 7 short years she was so generous, she is our inspiration. Kyla never left anyone out. No visitor would ever leave empty-handed, whether it was a picture she drew or a toy car, and even occasionally something we couldn't part with, so we'd have to intervene. She'd give drawings to strangers at the park and invite everyone in her class to her birthday parties.”

Our hearts go out to Jennie and Ryan, and we are so very thankful for Kyla whose legacy brings joy and hope to children in need.

Washington Conservation Corps Crew

We are grateful to Isabel Stehling and the Washington Conservation Corps for selecting Birthday Dreams as their nonprofit of choice for volunteering. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers generously gave their time making birthday party hats to help make celebrations extra special for kids in need. We thank them for their time, creativity, and support.

Junior League of Seattle

We would also like to give a shout-out to our friends at the Junior League of Seattle, an organization dedicated to advancing women’s leadership and strengthening community impact through volunteer action and collaboration. They assembled over 125 Friendship Birthday Kits. We appreciate this great partnership and thank them for their continued support.

In Kind Donations

In-kind gifts, office and party supplies donations are always needed and appreciated. A big thank you to the individuals and organizations below for their generous donations last month:

Adele Anderson

Carleigh Johnson

Diana Madison

Hasbro Gaming

Janie Perino

Jennifer Matlock

Jill Denkmann

Katie Kavulla

Laurel Tomchick

Linda Canetti

Lisa Miller

Sally Eastey

Shorewood High School

Cheer Team

Susan Holmberg

Toys For Tots

Birthday Club

Our donor recognition Birthday Club members are a part of a special group of people who are making difference in the lives of homeless children; their generosity provides a gift of joy, dignity, self-esteem and hope.

Our thanks to the following new and renewing individuals and businesses who generously donated to Birthday Dreams in January 2026:

Adobe Matching Funds

Four Generals Brewing LLC

Gates Foundation

Karen Criddle

Melrose Grill

Microsoft Matching Gifts Program

Nike Matching Funds

Pfizer Matching Funds

Roger Murphy

Starbucks Kent Plant

Stephanie Kornblum

Steve Palmer

Stifel

Click here to learn more about our Birthday Club giving levels. Click here to donate.

Volunteer Spotlight | Sally EASTEY

Sally Eastey first heard about Birthday Dreams in 2015 from a newscast televising that a break-in had occurred where computers, toys, and supplies were stolen. She said, “I thought, what a terrible thing to do to an organization that is dedicated to making children happier.”

At the time, she had purchased a home in Renton and was interested in making a difference in her own community. Sally shared that her grandmother, someone she loved and admired, loved to give gifts to her own grandchildren and anyone in need; she thought Birthday Dreams would have been an organization her grandmother would have loved to be involved with.

So, in 2016, Sally started donating bulk gift items to Birthday Dreams and has continued to do so over the past 10 years. In fact, as of December 2025, Sally has donated gifts for over 45 parties! But her involvement doesn’t stop there. On and off over the years she has donated her time to wrap presents, has worked on assembling, and has donated numerous baskets to the Gala.

Sally says, “Being involved with Birthday Dreams reminds me of my grandmother and the joy she felt at giving - especially to children. Providing presents to her grandchildren at Christmas and our birthdays made her so happy - something I didn't understand until I started doing it myself. I always feel closer to her when I donate things that a child especially wants.”

To those considering getting involved, she advised, “Get involved. Psychologists will tell you that one of the reasons people give is that it makes the giver feel almost as happy as the receiver. And everyone deserves to feel special at least one day out of the year, especially a child struggling in our society.”

Sally now lives in Bellevue; she works in property management. Besides volunteering, her favorite pastimes include spending time with family and friends and her little dog. Fun facts: she is fluent in Spanish and in her younger days, tutored students. She was a Renton Housing Commissioner for nearly 10 years.

A long-time philanthropist, Sally has volunteered with other organizations including Vision House and REACH Center of Hope. She has a true heart for giving – and we are thankful she has chosen to share her time, resources and talent with Birthday Dreams.

Kids Helping Kids | Hazen High School

In December, Hazen High School Key Club President Chris Kim and Hazen Educator Rising Board Member Nichole Phan thoughtfully organized an executed a community event for students to learn more about Birthday Dreams and volunteer their time for our cause.

Chris heard about Birthday Dreams from his advisor Quan Nguyen, who mentioned Hazen’s past collaborations with Birthday Dreams and Nicole discovered Birthday Dreams while researching local non-profits. Both liked what Birthday Dreams does for children – and shared how Birthday Dreams’ mission aligns with their clubs’ goals.

Chris said, “Giving back to the community means a lot to me. Coming into this term as Key Club President my main mission was to help reunite the distance between Hazen Key Club and our community; to be more connected with our Renton Community. With the help of Birthday Dreams, we could accomplish spreading joy during the gifting season and help celebrate Birthdays to a wider community outside of the community surrounding Hazen.” Nicole commented, “I was looking for something that involved helping children since Educator Rising is to train teachers [a profession that helps children].”

Of the experience, Chris and Nicole said it was a meaningful and enjoyable activity for those who participated and that “the overwhelming support of the creation of birthday hats and the toy drive brought a lot of smiles to our members and they felt good about giving back to their community. We hope to stay in contact with you guys and able to collaborate more in the future…” We hope so, too!

Birthday Dreams is so very thankful for Chris and Nicole’s passionate leadership, and for the energy and creativity of the Hazen students and faculty who were involved in the drive, which made a difference for children in need in our community.

Awesome Cakes Delivered with Love

"Oh boy!" a sweet four-year-old mouseketeer was treated to this awesome Mickey Mouse cake by Holly Mihalyo. The birthday girl also received Magnetic Building Tiles, a coloring book and crayons, slippers and Marble Run game; delivered by Robenita Green.

This Stranger Things cake made by Glynda Steiner for an 11-year-old birthday boy is out of this world! Laurel Tomchick delivered the cake and gifts: Yahtzee, 3-novel series, coloring book, LEGO set and Roblox mystery box.

A sweet baby girl celebrated her first with this Sprinkled with Love cake by Teri Feely. Fisher Price and Leap Frog toys, Munchkin Connect-A-Cup and a baby doll were some of the gifts our birthday girl received. Andrea Downey made the special delivery.

Hello Kitty Cake by Lauren Yasuda.

Huskies Fan cake by Jill Slabey.

Butterfly cake by Laurel Tomchick.

Butterfly adorned cake by Cherie Katana.

Seahawks Cake by Cathy Footer.

Dinosaurs cake by Claris Winston.

Get Involved

Onsite Party Volunteers Needed

Shelter parties allow us to celebrate a number of children at one time. We bring food, games, goody bags, and gifts to the shelter, and facilitate a great party for the birthday children and their families. Sign up here to volunteer to help.

YMCA Passage Point in Maple Valley on February 25 from 6pm-8pm
Mary’s Place Regrade on March 8 (age requirement 18+)
LIHI Meadowbrook on March 21 from 11am-1pm
YMCA Passage Point in Maple Valley March 25 from 6pm-8pm

Volunteer Orientation and Opportunities to Help

We’re always looking for passionate volunteers to join the Birthday Dreams family!

If you’re interested in getting involved but not sure where to start, we offer virtual and in-person orientations for new volunteers. Please contact Jordan Martinez, Operations Director, to schedule a virtual orientation or RSVP to attend one of the below sessions:

Saturday, March 7 from 11AM-12PM
Tuesday, March 17 from 6:30-7:30 PM
Saturday, April 4 from 11AM-12PM
Tuesday, April 14 from 6:30-7:30 PM

A list of upcoming parties and party needs can be found here.

Other Ways to Help | Office and Party Supply Needs

Our Amazon Wish List is updated weekly, allowing us to better serve Birthday Dreams' kids by making sure they have some great gifts from their personal wish lists. Click on this link or scan the QR code to see our current needs, which include toddler toys, scooters, art supplies and sports balls!

Did you know that you can use Amazon to set up automatic donations? Just select “Subscribe and Save” to make an automatic order monthly for Birthday Dreams and select the Birthday Dreams address when you check out! It’s an easy way to support our office needs and help Birthday Dreams in a big way.

Please include your name and email when using the Amazon wish list so we know who to thank.

VENMO or Text Your Donation

We accept donations through VENMO. The QR code will take you directly to our page.

You can also donate by texting “birthdaydreams” to 366283.

Donate Stocks

Did you know that you can donate stocks to Birthday Dreams? Lots of tax benefits to the donor. Click here to learn more

At Birthday Dreams, we believe that every child deserves to feel special on their birthday. We work tirelessly to bring hope, joy, and a sense of self-worth to homeless children with the gift of a birthday party. We understand that a birthday party may seem like a small gesture, but to these children, it means the world.

Our parties are more than just cake and presents. They are a celebration of life, of resilience, and of the human spirit. They are a reminder that no child is forgotten, and that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and loved.

Thank you to all our donors and volunteers who bring so much joy to the children we serve.