Happy Birthday to You!

Our special day.  Always a time of celebration and reflection.  One commonality we all have is a birthday, and it’s to be cherished.  

I often speak of my love for the charity The Birthday Party Project: http://www.thebirthdaypartyproject.org, an amazing organization we’ve supported since its inception 9 years ago.  Their mission:  bring JOY to children experiencing homelessness through the magic of a birthday party.  They host monthly birthday parties at homeless and transitional living facilities across the country.

Their main fundraiser each year is a themed costume party equivalent to an adult Halloween on steroids.  If I didn’t want to completely embarrass myself, I’d include 8 years of costumes Karyn and I have worn…but I’m not that brave.  

As you can image, all charities have been dealt a serious blow this year with the onset of the pandemic…and this includes The Birthday Party Project.  But for all of us, especially our children, the party must go on.  It’s so imperative that they continue to have the opportunity to feel special and loved.  Their parties are so much more than a celebration – they are a loud exclamation point that kids matter.

One recent story from their Instagram page truly touched my heart, so I wanted to highlight the story (accompanied by the actual picture below):

Caption from The Birthday Party Project coordinator:  “When we were starting to gather to sing Happy Birthday, one of the girls pulled me aside.  She showed me the glow-in-the-dark necklace in her hand (which we only had a few of) and asked me to walk her over to the Birthday girl who was on the other side of the table so she could give her a birthday present – the glow-in-the-dark necklace!” – Stacy, a Party Coordinator in Los Angeles.

The selfless act from this child perfectly illustrates that birthdays are an opportunity to honor one another and celebrate life. Beginning next month, we will host "Karats for Kids": an online auction of existing jewelry designs at 50% off. 

• For any 50% off Gold purchase: a donation of $50 "Birthday in a bag" to The Birthday Party Project
• For any 50% off Silver purchase: a donation of $30 "Gift to a child" to The Birthday Party Project
  
  

We look forward to closing out these last remaining holiday months by way of celebration.  It’s been a challenging year for us all, but we remain steadfast in our hope for a better tomorrow; for ourselves and every child in our community.