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News, Updates & Opportunities
June 2022
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Gala of Dreams | October 8, 2022 |
We are pleased to announce the date for our annual fall fundraiser is set! Mark your calendars to attend The Gala of Dreams on Saturday, October 8th!
This year’s event will be both in-person and virtual so everyone can attend, have fun, and support Birthday Dreams. The in-person event will be held at the beautiful and stylish Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in Renton.
Gala tickets will go on sale later this summer and we expect that they will sell out quickly – so get yours as soon as they’re available!
For more event information please visit the
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Auction Item Donation and Procurement Effort |
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We are actively seeking items for both the silent auction and live auction. We have a particular interest in the below items:
- Experiences (travel, hotel stays, skydiving, outdoor adventures, etc.)
- Food/Beverage (restaurant gift cards, beer/wine/alcohol packages, wine tasting tours, etc.)
- Fun, Family, and Leisure (golf, bowling, theme parks, museums, etc.)
- Physical items (jewelry, art, laptop computers/gaming systems, etc.)
If you, or any of your friends/family/colleagues, have any ideas, connections or leads, please reach out to Jarod (contact information below). Click here for ideas of items you can donate to the auction. Many thanks in advance for your partnership.
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For a homeless child, the impact of birthday party is so much greater than just a day of gifts and cake. As we learned from the mother of a 3-year-old who was a recent recipient of a Birthday Dreams party, it brings security and a sense of home. In her feedback to Birthday Dreams, the mother wrote:
“My daughter’s face lit up when she saw all the decorations and she could not stop smiling about her Minnie mouse cake. She is thrilled about the presents. It made it feel like we were back at home again.”
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Community Support and Recognition |
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Miles for Smiles Raises $26K + |
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the over 100 people who participated Birthday Dreams’ second-annual virtual Spring Fundraiser, the Miles for Smiles 5K.
Together, we raised over $26,000. This was a significant increase in participation and funds raised over last year’s event and it is due to the amazing group of participants, donors, and event sponsors who were there with us every step of the way! Thank you!
Mark your calendars for next year's event which will kick off May 2023.
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Chick-Fil-A Promo Yields $8,789 Donation |
As a part of our ongoing partnership with Chick-fil-A, Birthday Dreams was recently selected as the charity of choice for a 2-week long Cookies for Kids promotion. |
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All of the Puget Sound Chick-fil-A locations participated in this promotion and the turnout was AMAZING! The result was a $8,789 donation to Birthday Dreams! Wow! A big thank you Chick-fil-A, and to everyone who participated in the Cookies for Kids promotion. |
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Made in Washington Stores Donates $1,130 |
Our thanks to Made in Washington for hosting the Sockeye Salmon Fundraiser to support Birthday Dream. And thank you to everyone who made a purchase "for a cause." The $1,130 will bring lots of smiles to children in need. |
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Grant Awards
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:
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Jessica A. and Matthew Y. Mercer ($5,000)
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The Aven Foundation ($5,000)
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The Hubbard Family Foundation ($3,000)
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The Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 ($2,500)
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HerzL-Ner Tamid’s Conservative Congregation/Social Action Committee ($2,400)
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The Kincaid Family Charitable Fund ($1,000)
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the above foundations for their generosity and support of Birthday Dreams!
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USA Toyz recently donated HUNDREDS of one of their best products, the Astroshot, to Birthday Dreams. On behalf of the hundreds of children on whose face you put a smile, Birthday Dreams thanks you! |
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Liberty High School sophomore Cece Cha has been volunteering for Birthday Dreams since January. After attending a volunteer orientation, she immediately began making goody bags at home. In the following months, she recruited friends, family and classmates to help her. To date, she has made over 2000 goody bags...and counting! When asked why she volunteers for Birthday Dreams, CeCe said, "...it breaks my heart to know that children around the world are not given the opportunity to celebrate the greatest day of their lives, which is their birthday! The thought of being given this opportunity to help make birthday dreams come true excites me in numbers of ways. Being able to see the bright smiles on the children’s faces would make my heart exceedingly happy."
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A cheerleader, CeCe is accustomed to rallying people for a cause and she has become an amazing cheerleader for Birthday Dreams. Not only has she enlisted help with the goody bags, but she has also brought in new volunteers who are helping with cakes and group parties at shelters. |
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Volunteer Spotlight | Ashley Dearth |
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Ashley began volunteering with Birthday Dreams in September 2021. She had been looking for a way to give back and found Birthday Dreams online. She and her husband loved celebrating her nieces and nephews birthdays but as they have grown older she’s wanted to continue to share that with other children. Since September Ashley has completed a number of projects for Birthday Dreams. She’s made party hats, donated toys and has made a number of cupcakes. She really enjoys making cakes for the different themes and especially enjoys the Disney themed cakes. Thank you so much Ashley for all you have done to support Birthday Dreams. |
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Awesome Cakes Delivered with Love |
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Hannah Feller created this unicorn cake for a little girl turning 7 who likes the colors pink and purple. The cake, books and Seattle Aquarium tickets were delivered by Jim Waugh.
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It was a very happy birthday for this boy turning 5, who loves superheroes and Paw Patrol, thanks to cake baker Marcia Lovin. Lee Blankenship-Flinn delivered the cake and along with Paw Patrol toys and books.
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The galaxy party for a girl turning 11 was "out of this world," thanks to cake baker Molly Boyd. The cake, along with assorted games and puzzles, were delivered by Jim Waugh.
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Volunteer Orientation and Opportunities
Upcoming in-person orientations:
- Saturday, July 9 at 11 AM
- Tuesday, July 12 at 6 PM
Contact our Community Events Coordinator, Leah Battin, at Leah@birthdaydreams.org for team building and service project opportunities.
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Follow us on Facebook! Cake and delivery needs are posted weekly. A list of upcoming parties and party needs can be found here.
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Office and Party Supply Needs
We rely on our donors and volunteers to make birthday dreams come true. This month we are in particular need of the following items:
- Scotch Magic Tape refills 3/4" x 1000"
- Letter size envelopes 4 1/8" x 9 1/2"
- Card size envelopes 10 cm x 21.1cm
We are always in need of:
- Juice (gallon jugs or boxes)
- Large gift bags, clothing boxes and bows
- Gift Cards in $10 - $25 denominations
- RC Cars and Toddler Toys
Our Amazon Wish List is updated regularly and we are always grateful for your donations.
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Anna is the newest member of the Birthday Dreams team. Anna recently relocated to Washington State from Washington County in Hagerstown, MD. She brings nearly a decade of professional non-profit, marketing, and development experience to our organization. She possesses a keen eye for detail, excellent communication & organizational skills, and we are thrilled to have a person of her outstanding caliber as our new Executive Assistant here at Birthday Dreams! |
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In her spare time, Anna enjoys volunteering throughout Tacoma with her five and six-year-old daughters; engaging in beach and community cleanup, participating in their local community garden, and occasionally distributing lunch bags to unhoused community members throughout the city. Anna and her daughters also share a passionate interest in photography and capturing scenes throughout the Pacific Northwest. |
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Birthday Dreams thanks the following Birthday Club members who joined or renewed their membership in April. We appreciate your generous support:
John Berkeley, Emily Brooker, Michael and Elizabeth Collins, Paul and Judy Gwerder, Carole Jackson, Barb Kluge, Rhonda Laumann, Kelsey Mejlaender George and Sandra Moore, David Salzman, Susan Weber, Aven Foundation, Delightful Communications LLC, Hubbard Family Foundation, Kincaid Family Charitable Fund
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Please continue spreading the word about Birthday Dreams. We'd love to grow the club with more thoughtful and generous people like you!
If you are not a current Birthday Club member and would like to join, please visit:
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