News, Updates & Opportunities

November 2025

Holiday Appeals in this Season of Giving

Keeping the Dream Alive | 2025 Appeal

These past couple of years have been challenging for many nonprofits in the Puget Sound, and Birthday Dreams is no exception.

As we approach the close of 2025, we invite continued support from our valued community of donors. Your contribution - whether $50, $150, $500, or more - will enable Birthday Dreams to sustain its vital programs as we operate at full capacity during this final quarter of the year. Your generosity will also help ensure that we are well-positioned to bring the joy of birthday celebrations to even more children in 2026.

To contribute, please visit our secure donation page on our website and put "Dream25" in the "what inspired you to donate box". To donate stocks, please reach out to Chris Spahn. Together, we can keep the dream alive and make a BIG difference in the lives of homeless children!

Shop Local for the Holidays and Make a Difference!

On Saturday, November 29, The Learning Express at The Landing in Renton is hosting a special day of holiday shopping in support of Birthday Dreams — a perfect way to give and give back!

When you mention Birthday Dreams at checkout, 20% of your purchase will be donated to help bring birthday joy to children experiencing homelessness.

Check out their Holiday2025Renton catalog. Shop small, spread cheer, and help make birthdays brighter this season!

Holiday Drive and Santa Pics | Dec 7th

The annual tradition continues! Thai Nguyen and her extended real estate team have once again chosen Birthday Dreams as the beneficiary of their generous Holiday Toy & Coat Drive.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, December 7th, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at 320 120th Ave NE in Bellevue. Guests are invited to enjoy delicious food and beverages, arts and crafts, take festive photos with Santa, and drop off donations for children in need. Bring an unwrapped toy, coat or gift card. It’s a joyful way to give back and celebrate the season with family and friends!

We are deeply grateful to Thai and her colleagues for their ongoing partnership and for spreading generosity, awareness, and holiday cheer throughout our community.

This is Why We Do It

A homeless single mother of two, struggling to take care of her kids alone, provided this feedback following the birthday she was able to give her daughter with help from Birthday Dreams.

"This [birthday] was an opportunity that lifted us up; we felt appreciated and ready to fight again." Of her daughter's reaction to the party, she said, " She couldn't believe all the goodies were hers, it was something she had never experienced. 'It was great, amazing, joyful, heavenly,' these were [my daughter's words]. She was very excited with the beautifully wrapped gifts... and the delicious cake...We had something to celebrate away from the usual runabouts. Thank you for making her day great."

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

Make a Difference—Join the Birthday Dreams Board of Directors!

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children? Birthday Dreams is seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Directors! Our board is comprised of dynamic, community-minded leaders who are dedicated to bringing joy and hope to children experiencing homelessness. We’re looking for people with experience in marketing, social media, event planning, networking/ambassador energy, technology, business, and fundraising to help guide and grow our mission. As a board member, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Shape the future of our organization
Support our mission to celebrate children experiencing homelessness with the gift of a birthday
Collaborate with a passionate, mission-driven team

If you’re ready to make every child’s birthday a special one, we’d love to hear from you! Contact Executive Director Chris Spahn at chris@birthdaydreams.org to learn more about board service.

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

Birthday Dreams is growing — and we’re looking to add new fundraising events like a golf tournament, trivia nights, etc. so that we can bring even more birthday joy to children experiencing homelessness!

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

Golfers - we need your ideas and expertise!

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

Help Us Keep the Story Going — Join Our Social Media Team!

For the past few years, a team of four incredible high school students brought Birthday Dreams to life online — sharing stories of joy, celebration, and hope. They’ve now moved on to college (we’re so proud of them!), and we’re looking for the next wave of creative voices to carry the torch!

If you love social media, storytelling, and making a difference, we’d love to have you on our Social Media Team.

We’re looking for volunteers who can:

Create engaging content (photos, short videos, stories, reels, posts)
Help schedule and post updates on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Bring new ideas to showcase the impact of Birthday Dreams

Whether you’re a student, creative professional, or community volunteer, this is a fun and meaningful way to give back — and build real experience along the way.

If you’re interested, contact Chris Spahn at chris@birthdaydreams.org.

Let’s keep the celebration going — one post at a time!

Grants

Without the grant awards generously endowed by our foundation partners, we could not do what we do. Over the past month, we received grants from the following partners:

The Glaser Foundation - $3,500
Garneau-Nicon Family Foundation - $5,000
The Gary Milgard Family Foundation - $10,000

Community Support and Recognition

October was an incredible month for the Community Events Team. Our outstanding team members participated in 35 events. With the support of our generous partners, the team oversaw the completion of over 3,000 goody bags, 350 birthday hats, 250 friendship bracelet kits, and 50 birthday cards—all created to bring joy to children in need. We’re so proud of their dedication, energy, and leadership—our Community Events Team continues to help make Birthday Dreams a reality for every child we serve!

Microsoft

At Birthday Dreams, we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner with Microsoft during their annual Give Month. Being invited to join this meaningful initiative allowed us to witness firsthand the incredible spirit of generosity and community that defines the Microsoft team.

Throughout the month, Microsoft employees dedicated their time, energy, and resources to help us fulfill our mission. Their volunteer hours, enthusiasm, and heartfelt support made a tangible difference for the families we serve.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Microsoft community for embracing Birthday Dreams during Give Month. Your generosity and commitment to giving back continue to inspire us, and we look forward to future opportunities to make an impact together.

Junior League of Seattle

This amazing organization heard we were getting low on goody bags for kids in need and went right to work! This group effort, led by Tamara Jacobs, generously donated the supplies and worked together to make 400 goody bags for the kids we support. And that’s not all…

Tamara and Gretchin Wingard, hoping to gain an even deeper understanding of our work and additional ways they can support Birthday Dreams, spent a day in our operations office volunteering. While there they saw firsthand what goes into putting a birthday party together and how the many contributions of Junior League of Seattle have made a difference.

Goldman Real Estate

Thank you to Tia Aurich and her team for returning to Birthday Dreams to volunteer with us! We had a full list of projects to complete, and their dedication and teamwork made all the difference. Every task was handled with care and enthusiasm. We truly appreciate their support and look forward to welcoming them back again soon.

Travelers

A big thank you to Jake Languein for welcoming Birthday Dreams to the Travelers office as part of their giving back efforts. Together, they thoughtfully decorated and assembled 200 goody bags, helping brighten the days of children in need. We appreciate their support and dedication to making a difference!

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:

Emily Egashira
Sally Eastey
Alicia Saetern
Angelina Evans
Robbie Green
Mary Simmonds
Andrea Bates
Pfizer Inc.
McKenna Goodson
The Nourishing Group
Kamila Woods
Jill Slabey
Ashutosh Koshe

Birthday Club

Our thanks to the new and renewing individuals and businesses who generously donated to Birthday Dreams in September 2025. If you would like to become a Birthday Club member, please consider joining us. Click here to become a member.

The Birthday Club is our donor recognition society. As a Birthday Club member, you are a part of a special group of people who are making a real, tangible difference in the troubled lives of homeless children. Your generosity directly and positively impacts the life of a homeless child and provides a gift of joy, dignity, self-esteem and hope.

Alexa Medhus

Allison Broder

Amelia Winslow

American Family Mutual Insurance

Brian & Cathy Hayes

Chau Klies

Chris & Rebecca Sheldon

Cindy Kruse

Clare & Sebastian Pedersen

Costco Wholesale Corp

Elizabeth Holleman & Paul Robaidek

Glaser Foundation

Janea Stark

Jeffrey & Sarah Derstadt

Jen Olson

Jen Staker

Jordan and Kristin Chester

Josh & Katie Kavulla

Joshua Tripp

Julie & Robert Dreyfoos

Karen Rodriguez La Paz

Kathy & Neil McDonald

Kathy Bantle

Marc & Sarah Oommen

McConkey Auction Group

Mike Garrett & Tanya Franzen-Garrett

Movement Foundation

Quota International of Kent Valley

Tudor Didilescu

Volunteer Spotlight | Rebecca Redd

Rebecca Redd, a junior at Liberty High School, learned about Birthday Dreams when she was in sixth grade. Her sister had hosted a donation drive, and Rebecca felt inspired to get involved. Rebecca said, “I knew that there were so many kids out there that wouldn't get to experience the joy of being celebrated for their birthdays. Birthdays are something I feel is really important for children to have as they grow up. It helps them know that they are loved and cared about."

Most recently, with the help of her friend Avery, Rebecca organized a donation drive that resulted in a generous donation of gifts. She says, “Something that I enjoy about being involved with Birthday Dreams is that it always feels like I'm truly helping others. I know what I do directly benefits the children in our community; it feels so good knowing that I'm helping [a child] to have a better day.”

To others considering getting involved with Birthday Dreams, Rebecca says, “Join in! You will never regret your decision to help, and the service is fun!”

Rebecca lives in Renton with her family. She loves reading, sketching, baking, and dance (she trains in six styles). She hopes to get a degree in wildlife biology or zoology at BYU. She would like to travel the world someday.

Awesome Cakes Delivered with Love

Our birthday girl unlocked "12" with this gaming cake by Claris Winston. Daniel Brewis delivered the cake and gifts on the birthday girl's wish list: an Amazon gift card, a Monopoly Go game, a necklace, and a personal bible.

This rainbow cake, circled with love, was made by Cherie Katana, was a sweet surprise for a little girl turning 5. The birthday girls received a Barbie Doctor Set, Frozen glitter putties, Frozen press-on nails, and an Olaf magnet. Miriah Jackson made the delivery.

Karen Criddle made this "Marvel"ous Spiderman cake for a special boy turning two. He also received t-shirts, a Crayola Color Wonder set, a puzzle and more. Miriah Jackson made the birthday delivery.

Everything is coming up Roses cake by Chris Wells.

Vampirina cake by Lauren Yasuda.

Hello Kitty cake by Holly Mihalyo.

Princess cake by Mary Reeder.

Spiderman cake by Jamie Kang.

Babies first cake by Jen Falli.

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.

YWCA Passage Point in Maple Valley | Wednesday, Nov 19 from 6pm-8 pm
LIHI - Meadowbrook View in Lake City | Saturday, Dec 13 from 11am – 1pm
Mary’s Place Regrade in Seattle | Sunday, Dec 14 from 2:30pm4:30pm (must be 18+)

Volunteer Orientation and Opportunities to Help

We’re always looking for passionate volunteers to join the Birthday Dreams family! To learn more about current opportunities, please contact Jordan Martinez, Operations Director.

If you’re interested in getting involved but not sure where to start, we offer 30-minute virtual orientations for new volunteers, as well as the option to schedule a tour of our Renton office at your convenience.

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.