News, Updates & Opportunities

July 2024

To volunteer or get ideas of auction items to donate, click here, For more information, visit our website, send an email to gala@birthdaydreams.org or call 425-524-4705. 

• Sign up to Volunteer at the Gala
• Make a Cash Donation to Support the Event
• Become a Gala Sponsor
• Sign up to Donate a Themed Basket or Experience

A big thank you to the following organizations for their sponsorship.

We are thankful there is a local nonprofit who works with teens specifically to place them in the community to do good work. Teens in Public Service (TIPS) pays teen leaders to serve as community service interns by pairing them with a nonprofit over the summer months. And we are so fortunate to have Annaiya Hawkins with us this summer.

Annaiya is a young woman who grew up in Renton and currently attends Albert Talley High School. She has served as ASB President, been on the cheer squad since 5^th grade, loves to dance and be outdoors, and most of all, loves helping others.

“When I first came to Birthday Dreams,” Annaiya says, “I didn’t know what to expect. Now that I’m here, I am honored and highly blessed to be working with them.”

Annaiya says that growing up as a middle-class child and facing whatever life throws at you makes you humble enough to love and appreciate all that you have. Even when she was young, she was always giving extra food or clothes to her friends and classmates who needed them. “I didn’t do this because I felt bad. I felt as if everyone should feel secure and have what they need.”

Birthday Dreams is so pleased with how Annaiya has fit right in with our staff and volunteers in bringing birthday parties to homeless children. And we couldn’t agree with her more when she says that Birthday Dreams is a family, working together to help kids who have lost everything.

In the end, there is something magical about kids helping other kids in need. And it bodes well for our future.

One of those volunteers is Shefali Ahuja-Gupta. Shefali moved to Washington in 2021 and currently works as a Language Development Educator with Indian students who want to be proficient in English. Her ability to communicate led her to us when she saw a notice that we needed a volunteer grant writer. Since she already served as a mentor for elementary and middle school children in Sammamish, serving as a grant writer was just another way she could help her community.

When asked why she specifically wanted to volunteer for Birthday Dreams, she said, “I find it worthwhile to work with and for children. I used to work as an Editor and Content provider for a children's news site before and during Covid. When I came across the volunteer position of Grant Writer with Birthday Dreams, I reckoned I could write for a children's cause.”

Shefali has been a great addition to our team and has already earned thousands of dollars through her grant writing that will help replenish our supplies and keep our parties flowing. She says she feels proud when a grant comes through because she knows that in her own small way she’s helping to make a difference for kids who have so little to be happy about.

When we asked her what her favorite thing about volunteering with Birthday Dreams was, she said, “By and large, these newly minted humans are vastly resilient, facing life as it comes and making their place under the sun. But Birthday Dreams provides warm hugs in the form of Birthday parties to those that need it the most. That's what I like best about Birthday Dreams.”



Like Mike Satterfield said above, Shefali is helping Birthday Dreams change the world one child at a time. And for that, we are eternally grateful.

Cake baker Cherrie Smith made this sophisticated, delicious looking cake for a young lady turning fifteen. She received just the gifts she wanted - jewelry, a shower gel gift set and gift cards to both Amazon and Subway. Kelly OBrien made the birthday delivery.

What a sweet treat for a little girl's first birthday party; This beautiful cake was created by baker Cherie Katana. Driver Dave Whitesell delivered the cake, party supplies and gifts, which included Spin and Learn Color Flashlight from VTech, sorting and stacking toys, corn popper, a board book and a Squishmallow).

This Avenger cake made by Cathy Footer was out of this world! Friends of Birthday Deams provided a Nerf gun, Vex Robotics Building Kit, Air Popper, Squishmallow and more for the birthday boy, who was turning ten. Jacob Hearen made the delivery.

Glow cake by Annabelle Kisky

Alice in Wonderland cake by Elizabeth Blake

Butterfly cake by Kristina Tomalesky

Baseball cake by Chris Wells

Mermaid cake by Carolyn Weger

Justice League cake by Emily Felton

Volunteer Orientation and Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering for Birthday Dreams or participating in community service projects / team building events, please email our Community Event Coordinator Leah Battin.

If you are a new volunteer, sign up to attend a brief in-person or virtual orientation by emailing Nicolle Scalise. In-person orientations are generally held on the second Saturday and third Tuesday of every month, and the virtual orientations are available upon request. Saturday orientations are currently on hold pending the hiring of a new Volunteer Coordinator.

• Tuesday, July 16 from 6 - 7pm (in-person) 
• Tuesday, August 20 from 6 - 7pm (in-person)
• Please inquire if interested in a virtual orientation

Follow us on Facebook! Cake and delivery needs are posted weekly, in addition to other posts about what’s happening. A list of upcoming parties and party needs can be found here. 

Onsite Party Volunteers Needed | Immediate Need for Help

To continue hosting parties at the shelters, we need volunteers to attend these very fun birthday celebrations. Without volunteers, we will need to cancel these parties. If you are able to help volunteer, please sign up to assist. Prior to signing up, please make sure to read the descriptions and notes to see if there are any restrictions (i.e., age requirement).

Volunteers currently needed at the following shelters for the next month: 

• Friday, July 26 from 2pm – 4pm at Mary’s Place in Burien – 12 volunteers needed (age 18+) 
• Wednesday, July 31 from 6pm – 8pm at YWCA Passage Point in Maple Valley – 6 volunteers needed (all ages) 
• Wednesday, August 7 from 6pm – 8pm at LIHI Meadowbrook View in Seattle– 13 volunteers needed (all ages) 
• Friday, August 23 from 1pm – 3pm at Mary’s Place in Burien – 9 volunteers needed (age 18+) 
• Wednesday, August 28 from 6pm – 8pm at YWCA Passage Point in Maple Valley – 7 volunteers needed (all ages) 

Please contact Nicolle Scalise if you’re interested in becoming a Party Coordinator. We are currently looking for Party Coordinators for two locations. 

Mary's Place (Downtown Seattle) and YWCA Passage Point (Maple Valley) Need a Party Coordinator ASAP

Party coordinators pick up the pre-packed bins of supplies, juice, cupcakes, and toys from our Renton office before the onsite party. With assistance from other Birthday Dreams volunteers, they will also set up, run, and clean up the onsite party, and return bins to our Renton office at a mutually agreed upon date. The Party Coordinator role is a six-month time commitment to allow for consistent, reliable parties at the shelter. Dates and times of parties are somewhat negotiable; party coordinators are welcome to work out scheduling conflicts with shelter staff.

Office and Party Supply Needs

We rely on our donors and volunteers to make birthday dreams come true. This month we desperately need the following items for our birthday children: 

• Scooters
• RC Cars
• Skateboards
• Toys and books for ages 1-3
• Soccer balls
• Any balls (all ages)
• Bikes
• Gift cards to clothing, experiences and food places 

Did you know that you can use Amazon to set up automatic donations? Just select “Subscribe and Save” to make an automatic order monthly for Birthday Dreams and select the Birthday Dreams address when you check out! It’s an easy way to support our office needs and help Birthday Dreams in a big way. Check out the Amazon Wish List for more ideas. 

Our team is also in need of help to get some other in-office items that YOU could assist with!

Office supplies:  

• Scotch tape 
• Cake boxes (all sizes)
• White envelopes 4.5in/9.5in (peel and seal)
• Wrapping paper (no holiday paper)
• Gift wrapping bows (all sizes and colors)

A big Birthday Dreams thank you to all of our new and renewing Birthday Club members this past month: