Birthday in a Box Update

Birthday in a Box MHK has already delivered 14 Birthday boxes in the last 2 months!  We are so excited that we have been able to help these children have a birthday celebration!  

HyVee Manhattan also decided to partner with us and is providing already made and decorated birthday cakes for all the Birthday in a Box children!  

St. Thomas More Catholic Church also did a donation drive for Birthday in a Box.  The 5th grade religious education classes made signs and collected donations.  They collected numerous items for birthday boxes and some cash donations that we were able to use to purchase $15 gift cards to include in all the birthday boxes! Thank You!

A special Thank You to Ashlyn, the community service chair for the Cico Shamrocks 4-H club and her club, for donating over $65 and lots of goodies to Birthday in a Box!  These will be VERY helpful to fill the summer birthday boxes!

We would also like to Thank the Marlatt Elementary Girls on the Run team for baking for our Walmart Bake Sale on Thursday, May 14th.

Another Big Thank You to the Marlatt Elementary 3rd Grade Becoming Girls who Lead the Way group for working the bake sale!

If you would like to make a donation to Birthday in a Box, here is how you can help!

Birthday in a Box MHK could use these donations: 

Birthday Candles
Party plates
Party napkins
Party cups
Party hats
Noise makers
Balloons

$15 Gift Cards to:
Walmart or Target

These items can be dropped off at these Manhattan locations: 

• Copy Kats on Westport Drive
• Bellus Academy in Westloop
• Paw Paparazzi behind Bob's Diner on 4th Street

Monetary Donations can be made payable to Birthday in a Box MHK and sent to:

Birthday in a Box MHK
PO Box 423
Manhattan, KS  66505-0423

Kids have Birthdays without Cake???

This Blog Post is what started Birthday in a Box MHK:

"Today we hosted our weekly Homework Huddle at Eagle's Pointe Apartments.  Every week we meet a very special group of kids, help them with their homework, share a snack, and play games.

Last week we had several new kids, and immediately bonded with them.  As we were working today, the whole group broke out in a chorus of "Happy Birthday" to one of our new little friends who just turned 8.  He was beaming from ear to ear.

As we left, our new little buddy thanked us and asked if we could come back on Saturday and Sunday...He gave us big hugs.  As we said our "goodbyes" I asked him if he was going to go home to have cake?  He said his mom told him she would buy him a cake.  Then he said, well she always says that, but comes home without it and tells me that she can't afford it.

What?  A birthday without cake??  Then the little girl behind him, says that that happens at her house, too.

My head started whirling.  Was this little girl telling him that so he wouldn't feel bad, or did that really happen at her house, too?

Next week I will start logging names, addresses and, of course, birth dates at homework huddle.  I will start soliciting my friends this week to start creating Birthday Kits.  Wouldn't it be great to gather up aluminum pans, cake mixes, frosting, sprinkles, candles, party plates and napkins and even a $15 Wal-Mart gift card?  We could bless the moms about a week before the child's birthday.

A birthday is special...we celebrate our Lord and Savior's Birthday every year in a huge way....perhaps we can help the "least of these" in a simple little way....I'm sure Jesus would approve."

This is from my friend's blog, www.helpandhope17.blogspot.com.  She lives in Kansas City and had this experience.  It moved me and I shared it with my children and husband.  I asked them if they thought we should try to do this for kids at their school and/or in our community.  They all agreed that it would be terribly sad to not have a cake and celebration for their birthday and they wanted to be able to give that to other kids.

This will take a lot of help from others and organization on our part, but will be worth it to help make a less fortunate child have an awesome birthday!  If you would like to help, please contact me at birthdayinaboxmhk@gmail.com.  We will be needing donations of cake mixes, frosting, candles, 9x13 aluminum pans, plates, cups, party hats, and $15 gift cards to Walmart or Target.  If it is easier, you can just donate money and we will do the shopping!  Please share this with others.  The more people that help with this project, the more Birthdays in a Box we can make and help a child celebrate their birthday.

I will be working with school social workers to find the kids in need.  They will just let me know how many boy and girl birthdays there are each month and I will deliver the boxes to them.  They will pass them out to the students or their parent or guardian.

Thank You for helping make a Child's Birthday a special day for them!

(If you are viewing on a mobile device, click on this link to donate: http://fnd.us/c/ex7Bf/sh/94Z7Na!)