Missouri’s Hannibal. Birthday In order to satisfy needs and bring joy within the Missouri foster community, Blessings is holding its third annual July toy drive.
Through the 10th Circuit Children’s Division in Marion, Monroe, and Ralls counties, Birthday Blessings offers services to over 210 children in state custody. The deadline for the drive is July 31.
Jake Rigdon, a staff member of the 18th Circuit Children’s Division in Sedalia and a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors, is in charge of the event. She has worked with children in care for over a dozen years, so she has direct knowledge of the effects Birthday Blessings has on foster families and children in care.
Assume you are a foster parent and a child recently entered your family. You have a million ideas running through your mind. According to a news release from Rigdon, you need to get to know this child and learn about their preferences. To assist them get used to their new surroundings, this involves taking them on a tour of the residence. They may need to make appointments for medical care or register for school. The list of things to accomplish is limitless.
You neglected to inquire about their birthday in all the confusion and haste. Birthday Blessings can help with this. To find out what a child wants for their birthday, the group gets in touch with foster families. Our volunteer teams wrap gifts, provide baking materials, and provide duffles and bags. Foster parents can concentrate on getting the child acclimated into a new home or facility by simply baking the cake and throwing a party.
Birthday Blessings’ executive director, Shannon VonAllmen, agreed that it’s critical to honor a child’s birthday. According to her, foster parents, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and employees of the Children’s Division provided feedback for the launch of several of their other programs.
We began with birthdays in 2013. Children reported right away that our programs made them feel acknowledged and appreciated. As time passed, we saw that the government did not provide funding for other necessities. “We have expanded our offerings over the years to include graduation celebration bags, Easter baskets, bedding sets, baby care items for teens in care who become parents, seasonal care packages, and baskets of household goods for teens,” VonAllmen stated.
I frequently hear people claim that they wish to assist foster children but are unable to do so. This gift drive is just one of the many ways you can help foster children. It’s as easy as gathering a few presents and placing them in a collecting box. We’ll deliver them to the children.
Teenage gifts are the most in-demand at Birthday Blessings. Advanced Lego sets, sports balls, fishing gear, LED string lights, wireless earphones, gaming headsets, lotion or bath sets, nail polish or makeup sets, art kits, and board games are among the recommended products.
Gifts that are deemed safe for toddlers are also required. Toys that emit light or sound, shape sorters, push toys, large Legos, cars, sippy cups, dolls, and toddler dish sets are among the most popular things.
Here is a list of locations for collections: https://birthday-blessings.org/. You can make a monetary donation at www.birthday-blessings.org/donate. They have an Amazon wish list on their Facebook page and at https://birthday-blessings.org/.
The items must be brand-new, unopened, and free of any writing or organization ads.
Call 417-204-4459 or send an email to [email protected] for additional information.
