Feel Good Friday - Birthday Dreams

Having just celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday, I wanted to know if there are any birthday-related non-profits I could write about for this Feel Good Friday. The answer is yes!

Birthday Dreams, in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, "is dedicated to bringing joy, hope and dignity to homeless children with the gift of a birthday party."

There are two types of parties Birthday Dreams provides. The first are onsite parties run by volunteers. These take place at homeless and transitional housing shelters and include cake, ice cream, presents and often games and entertainment. A Birthday in a Box is just what it sounds like - cake, a gift, balloons, party hats, streamers, plates, forks, napkins and a party game. Open, assemble and enjoy.

In addition to donating items (or cash) for the festivities, volunteers attend the onsite parties, bake cakes, buy gifts and party supplies and deliver the boxes. To date Birthday Dreams has held celebrations for over 6,000 children. You can get an idea of what the parties are like by watching this short video of twins enjoying their big day.

There are testimonials on the website so you can read what the impact is on both the kids who get to celebrate and their parents. If you live in the area and want to volunteer at a party or make the birthday cake, you can check this calendar of upcoming events.

No matter where you live, you can still support Birthday Dreams with a donation and by spreading the word on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @BirthdayDreams to get all the latest updates.

Happy birthday!