5 BIRTHDAY CHARITIES TO SUPPORT + GIVE BACK TO

As my birthday month, aka March, wraps up it felt like as fitting a time as any to share a note on some birthday charities that I admire. I feel like birthdays always come with a weird mix of emotions and challenges- excitement to celebrate, happiness and sadness (simultaneously) at getting older, loneliness and feeling let down when no one shows up to celebrate with you or get you a gift, etc. I feel so many of these things myself around my own birthday, but I also can’t help but think about how these feelings must be that much more magnified for those in difficult positions, whether it be things such as terminal illness or homelessness. Being alone and forgotten on your birthday is never fun. Because the reality is that everyone deserves to feel special, seen and loved on their day, no matter the circumstances. Here’s a few ways you can do just that and spread some birthday joy and magic for those who might otherwise not get any-

ICING SMILES

Custom cake creations for kids (or their siblings) who are battling critical illness; get involved by baking a cake, hosting a bake sale and more

FOR GOODNESS CAKES

Birthday and graduation cakes for kids in foster care and overcoming adverse situations; anyone can volunteer to bake a cake (no professional experience needed), you just need to sign up, go through orientation and then get baking and their our chapters all over the US

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY PROJECT

Birthday celebrations for children experiencing homelessness; get involved by giving, volunteering and/or advocating; volunteer opportunities range from joining in the celebrations to assembling favor bags to making birthday cards and wrapping gifts and more, and can be found in locations throughout the country

BIRTHDAY WISHES

Another organization that creates special celebration moments for children experiencing homelessness; in-person volunteering and fundraising opportunities are in New England and Long Island but you can always donate on-line no matter where you are

THE BIRTHDAY BOX

Creating birthday celebrations for children in need via cakes, party supplies and even gifts; while this organization originated in New Jersey and is primarily in the NJ/NY/MD area, you can easily get involved no matter where you’re located as they accept donations by mail. You can send in donations from a toy or gift card to a bakery certificate to wrapping paper to party supplies (think candles, party plates, napkins, decorations), batteries for toys, tape for present wrapping.

Also, they also accept gently used medium-sized card board boxes (if you’re local and have boxes you want to donate); you can also sponsor a birthday box (aka make a donation in someone’s name as a gift), instead of having people bring birthday gifts for yourself on your birthday you can have people bring gifts that you can donate and more

BONUS IDEA- ALTERNATIVE GIFTING OPTIONS

If it’s your own birthday, there are a few ways you can turn your celebration into an opportunity to give back. You can ask people to donate gifts for other instead of getting gifts for you, you can ask for an alternative type of gift (this site makes it really easy and there are all sorts of things from community gardens to building libraries and clean water).

You can ask to have someone in need sponsored in your name or give a donation towards sponsorship (I like this organization for sponsoring someone) or you can create a birthday fundraiser asking people to donate to a cause close to your heart in lieu of getting you a gift (some charities, like Actions Against Hunger, even make it super simple to set-up a specific birthday fundraiser).