To volunteer with Give A Birthday!, email Jaya Gupta at guptajaya10@gmail.com
While volunteering with various charities, Milton High School student Jaya Gupta, 17, noticed a lot of poverty around the North Fulton community and surrounding areas.
Gupta realized that children were not getting the kind of childhood they deserved, and were missing out on special events like birthday parties. Inspired, she launched the non-profit Give A Birthday! to make sure every child has access to a birthday celebration.
“Most kids we serve don’t have the chance to experience the joy of a birthday party and knowing we can make them and their birthday important is a special feeling for not only them, but also us,” said Gupta.
She works with local nonprofits like The Drake House, 7 Bridges to Recovery’s Garden and the Rainbow Village and partners with local businesses to host birthday celebrations for the children who are served by the nonprofits.
A typical birthday party starts with the team coming 30 minutes beforehand to set up the designated area, usually a playground, with decorations. They hang up balloons and streamers, put out a few toys, setup games like musical chairs or soccer. After some playtime, the kids and volunteers sing “Happy Birthday” and then there’s more playtime.
In only a year of being formed, the high schooler has recruited over 100 student volunteers through school and other local organizations to make the event special for all the children involved. But more volunteers can continue to make more special birthday parties.
People can be involved by helping at the parties or helping with fundraisers. There’s also a need for collecting items such as decorations, crafts and party games, supplies to make birthday cards and presents to make each birthday party truly special.
“It’s not only us giving joy to the kids, it’s the kids bringing joy to us and bringing us awareness of their conditions,” said Gupta. “These birthday parties allow these kids to feel special because well, they are.”
In other news: Johns Creek's Caden Kelly, 6, hosted a fundraiser in January for Kyra the newest K-9 officer in the Johns Creek Police. Caden and his friends raised over $2,400 to buy Kyra a custom made bullet proof vest. The community service was part of Caden's Super Hero Project, a community service initiative by his martial arts school Karate USA.
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