I heard about The Birthday Party Project and I knew they would be a major player in our #bboygivesback initiative. As the owner/operator of B-Boy Productions, it was important that I lead the charge of our #bboygivesback initiative. For years, I had looked for a non-profit partner that was a perfect fit for B-Boy. In the interim, we did plenty of non-profit events and were glad to be a part of them (still are). However, last year, we found one of those perfect fits. I heard about The Birthday Party Project and I knew they would be a major player in our #bboygivesback initiative. It’s a party themed organization! I mean, could it be any more in our wheelhouse as an entertainment company?
I believe the statistic was 80% of kids in a homeless family shelter never celebrate a birthday. When I heard that, my heart broke for those children. Not one birthday party? We can’t have that. I immediately made a call to see how we could get involved. Late last year I volunteered to be a part of what was already in place before making suggestions on what else could be done with my event niche. The party was all I thought it would be and more.
So what is the The Birthday Party Project (TBPP) and how does it work? Originating out of Dallas, this non-profit is 5 years old and growing rapidly. They are now in multiple major cities and adding more all the time. They partner with a few homeless family shelters in each city. Every month they work with some of the best in the event business world who donate their time and talents. The theme of the party changes each month. The one I went to last year was a carnival themed party. Papa John’s donates pizza for all the kids. Ceci New York handles the invitations and then many volunteers come and run the games and activities for 2 hours. If it is a child’s birthday that month, TBPP gets the inside scoop on what that child likes. From monetary donations received in, they provide a big gift or two to each child whose birthday falls in that month. Goody bags go out to all of the other kids in attendance so no one leaves empty-handed. Of course, there’s a birthday cake and cupcakes as well!
This month’s theme was “Dance Party”. Clearly, there was a need for a DJ. With 3 shelters in NYC, I was able to volunteer for 2 of the 3 dates and put my DJ skill set to use. It was an absolute blast. Glow in the dark necklaces and glow wands as well as cool shades, a photo booth station and fantastic music made the party! I hope to share my experience with other DJ colleagues of mine as well as other event professionals and add to the amazing work that TBPP is already doing.
To get an idea of what these parties are like, watch the video below. #joychangeslives #initiatejoy