The month of May will be extra special for some children, teens, and young adults in New Jersey foster care who are celebrating their birthdays this month.
As part of the JCC MetroWest monthly Mitzvah Moments program, members granted the birthday wishes of children in foster care across New Jersey — children who otherwise might not receive a gift or card on their birthdays. Thanks to the generosity of the JCC MetroWest, the birthday wishes of these children will come true.
The JCC MetroWest partnered with us to grant the birthday wishes of children in New Jersey foster care. In 2014, I founded A Birthday Wish because I was determined to give children and young adults in foster care the special days they deserve. I formed partnerships with organizations that serve children in foster care and gathered the wishes of as many children as possible. To date, we’ve celebrated the birthdays of almost 1,000 children. I believe the mission of A Birthday Wish is to let children in foster care know that they are special and celebrated on their birthday. An important byproduct has been to teach children about the transformative power of kindness. It’s never too early for children to positively impact the lives of others.
Katy Strulson of Livingston and Jill Sherman of Short Hills, organizers of this Mitzvah Moments event at JCC MetroWest, commented that “the response was overwhelming, even our youngest members got involved.” Sam Spitz of Livingston, 13, used money from his Bar Mitzvah to grant the wish of a 4-year-old girl who wanted a pink bike with training wheels.
There are many ways to support A Birthday Wish, such as gift drives and granting wishes or community events like card-making and gift-wrapping parties. Supporting A Birthday Wish guarantees that children in New Jersey foster care will receive special surprises on their big days. Please contact us if you’d like to host an event or become involved.
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