This week, we take a little detour to Charlotte, North Carolina and Bright Blessings. The goal of Bright Blessings is to bring joy, recognition, and support to children and families during difficult and sad times in their lives. Our two core programs, Bless-A-Birthday and Bless-A-Baby raise spirits and boost confidence for homeless children ages tots to teens, and offer help and hope for babies beginning life amidst the struggles of homelessness.
For John and Amy Cervantes, birthdays have always been a big deal - a celebration of life. When their eldest son, Alex, turned three in 2005, they invited 20 friends to a nearby park and hired a clown to paint faces and make balloon animals.
Not long after that, the couple were brainstorming ways to teach Alex about giving to others. "That's when a spark went off," says Amy. "We wanted to do something that would have an impact on our community, that wasn't already being done, and that our young children could participate in. I started wondering what less fortunate kids do on their birthdays. The next day, we called a local shelter." What they learned is that homeless children typically don't do anything to celebrate. No cake. No gifts. No party.
Several weeks later, the family threw a party at the shelter for the children who had birthdays that month. They decorated, served cake, and led 50 kids in the Limbo. Alex helped fill and pass out goody bags and presents. Since that first party, the couple have turned their simple idea into Birthday Blessings and more recently changed the name to Bright Blessings, a nonprofit that hosts monthly parties at ten shelters in and around Charlotte, North Carolina. The group also delivers baby supplies to new moms in the shelters. And it discreetly sends treats to elementary schools so homeless kids can celebrate their birthdays with friends.
For the thousands touched by Bright Blessings each year, homeless children and families get a much-needed reprieve from their daily life struggles through programs that bring joy and support, and create lasting impact.
"Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake."
~ Anonymous
This week found us in Charlotte, North Carolina where we met up with Amy Cervantes, co-founder of Bright Blessings. Taking a quick tour of their facilities, it was immediately evident it was filled with people who cared. From a room filled with blankets, bottles, and more for new mothers to a room filled with people selecting and wrapping presents for the Pirates and Princesses party scheduled later today at a homeless shelter, this place was infused with a great vibe.
From there we headed to one of Bright Blessings' Pastry Partners, Suzi Skinny Cakes. Suzi Allora, chief cook and bottle washer, has been involved with Bright Blessings for over a year and regularly bakes and donates healthy cupcakes and pastries for these parties. With a heart as big as her kitchen, Suzi explained how important it is to her to give to her community and help those less fortunate.
"It's just nice to be able to bring a smile to their face. It really makes all the difference when you see them eat something as simple as a cupcake and someone who honors them and respects them enough to say, it's your birthday and let's celebrate!"
Wrapping up at Suzi's we headed over to a local homeless shelter to deliver these tasty morsels (yes, I'd felt it my obligation to do a quality check on the cupcakes before we left!). We were joined by John Cervantes, and it was immediately evident upon our arrival how excited these kids were to be getting a birthday party. The volunteers went about providing a nutritious dinner to the assembled children who devoured it in short order. After cleaning up, it was time to open the presents, the childrens' excitement barely disguised. It was quickly evident just how important a birthday party is in a child's life. The gift of a birthday celebration provides normalcy, joy and hope in these kids' otherwise unsettled lives.
Eventually, all the presents were opened, all goody bags distributed, and the excitement leveled off. At this point, Suzi brought out her delicious cupcakes and the excitement ratcheted back up a few notches. From our first meeting in the morning to the culmination of the festivities, it is obvious that Bright Blessings fosters the spirit of volunteerism and community service in all of the adults, children, and partners who donate their time and resources to their mission. Everyone needs to be celebrated and Bright Blessing and its posse is making it happen!
Bright Blessings
A volunteer-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization bringing joy and support to homeless children. Our programs bring positive emotional experiences to homeless children and their families by lifting spirits, boosting confidence, broadening horizons and supporting critical needs.
Suzi Skinny Cakes
A pastry partner for Bright Blessing, Suzi Skinny Cakes makes all of their cakes using fruit, which keeps the calories low and our cakes super moist. These cakes are a healthier choice to enjoy life's deepest pleasures.
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