Birthday parties and children seem to go together naturally — but some children are in situations in which his or her birthday can be overlooked.
That’s where Celebrate Birthdays, a nonprofit organization, comes in.
It collaborates with organizations and agencies to find foster kids, other kids with certain needs or kids in clubs, to throw a birthday party for them.
Belinda Leto and Celina Saunders founded Celebrate Birthdays.
They go to various locations and throw a monthly birthday party, for all of the children at that particular place celebrating a birthday that month.
The festivities include cake, ice cream, games, activities and presents for all the children at the party — whether they are celebrating their birthday or not, Leto said.
“We want every kid to feel special,” she said.
“It makes them look forward to when it’s their birthday, knowing we’ll show up consistently,” Saunders said. “We do not disappoint.”
The idea for creating Celebrate Birthdays came up two years ago, when Leto was involved in her church’s gift donation program.
She said she was approached by a grandmother who asked whether there were local services that provided birthday gifts for children.
Leto didn’t know, so she reached out to a friend who worked for Hillsborough County. She found out that the county wasn’t aware of such programs either.
So, Leto and Saunders set out to fill that gap.
“That was the initial spark and seed that really started the idea,” Leto said.
Celebrate Birthdays began serving children, and in March, it was officially recognized as a nonprofit organization.
News of the program’s existence has spread mostly through word of mouth and social media.
The organization also collaborates with organizations such as the Joshua House and the Boys & Girls Club, who refer children to Celebrate Birthdays.
Even a local Girl Scout troop has assisted the effort by collecting gifts and forming a bond with a “birthday buddy.”
“It’s kids helping kids,” Leto remarked. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Children who are not part of an organization are not overlooked, she said.
With “Birthday in a Box,” gifts and birthday supplies are stocked up in individual boxes to be sent to children’s homes.
However, community support is needed to keep spreading the joy.
The organization receives gift donations from individuals and various establishments.
Some local businesses accept toy donations on their premises for the organization.
And, Celebrate Birthdays hosts fundraisers and applies for grants, as well.
Volunteers pitch in, too, including high school students.
Leto and Saunders also have recruited their own children to help.
The organization currently covers Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, with intentions to branch out into Hardee and Highlands counties.
Being part of Celebrate Birthdays is rewarding, Saunders said.
“I think there’s a different feel when you are volunteering your time and not expecting anything in return,” she said.
Being in a position to help the children makes her appreciate her blessings all the more, she said.
“It’s such an overwhelming sense of gratitude. There’s not a price tag on that,” Saunders said.
To learn more about the nonprofit or to make an online donation, please visit CelebrateBirthdays.org.
Published October 23, 2019
