15: The Birthday Box for a Very Happy Birthday Mom

I know it's Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, but it is also the birthday of my awesome mom. So, in celebration of birthdays, I found the sweetest nonprofit: The Birthday Box. So one day in New Jersey, a mom stood back from her son's fourth birthday party while the kids were having cake and ice cream.

She took a step back from the excitement to look around the party and the stack of birthday presents that layered one whole wall. There was a tower of gifts. Did her son really need all of these gifts? What about less fortunate children who never have a celebration like this or even receive one gift at birthday time? That is when The Birthday Box idea was born. This mom knew she had to try to provide needy children with an opportunity to have a birthday celebration, no matter the financial status of the family. Every child should have a chance to have a delicious cake, blow out candles and make a special wish as they turn 1 year older. And of course every child should open a birthday present on that day as well. -http://www.thebirthdaybox.org/who-we-are/#_about

Now,  she's making that happen for less fortunate children In New Jersey, New York  and Maryland.  Hopefully this great idea will spread to many more locations.  This is how it works: "Local outreach programs and centers we have connected with provide us with the first name, age, gender and birthdate of the child in need. Each child and family remain completely anonymous in this program. The Birthday Box staff assembles a “party in a box”, including a fresh cake (or cake mix), candles, party utensils and an age appropriate wrapped gift. A few days prior to the child’s birthday, a Birthday Box is delivered to the director of the outreach facility and in turn given to the child’s family." 
I love the Random Acts of Kindness feel of The Birthday Box and enjoy picturing the joy on a child's face when opening a gift and eating cake on his or her special day. I grew up with a sad heart for the loss of Martin Luther King, Jr. but also with great inspiration and beauty from him. My mother is a very special person who taught me even more about being a good person to everyone in our world, so her birthday will always be special to me.
Happy Birthday, to anyone and everyone who celebrates a birthday today, and a special birthday wish to my mother and to the most honorable Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. 

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