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Kids in NYC shelters get to celebrate with the 'Birthday Party Project'
By
Karen Yi
Published May 24, 2024
Modified May 24, 2024
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Photo by Karen Yi
By
Karen Yi
Published May 24, 2024
Modified May 24, 2024
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An organization dedicated to throwing birthday parties for children living in homeless shelters held its first celebration in New York City this week since the pandemic halted their operations four years ago, delighting kids with cake, gifts and games, and a superhero-inspired bash.
“There's always a smile on their face when they see it because they can't believe like, ‘Oh, the party is for me?’” said Shamane Santos, child care and recreation manager at a Brooklyn family shelter operated by Volunteers of America-Greater New York. “It may be something small for a lot of people, but they don't understand what it's like living in a shelter.”
On Wednesday, the Birthday Party Project celebrated the birthdays of 20 children born in late April or May inside a Brooklyn shelter. It was the organization's first party in the region since COVID-19 disrupted its gatherings. The nonprofit, which launched in 2012, throws birthday parties in 15 cities across the country, partnering with shelter providers to celebrate kids’ birthdays every month. About 30,000 children stayed in a shelter last year, the highest numbers in a decade and a dramatic increase from the year prior, as child care costs, rents and food prices surge and leave families barely scraping by.
The kids poured into the recreation room at their shelter to find capes and superhero masks, as well as coloring games, decorating stations and rope toss. They yelled out their superpowers — “lighting,” “rain,” “flying” – and donned large Hulk gloves and colorful headbands.
Kids with late April or May birthday poured into the recreation room at their shelter, finding costumes and games waiting for them.
Photo by Karen Yi
“Most of the kids are having fun right now. I'm about to have fun,” said Dereck Batiz, who turned 14 last month along with his twin brother. “If I have to choose a superhero, I'm going to choose Batman.”
But the party was open for all kids, even those whose birthdays were months ago.
“[What] I like about the party — to draw, play, be friends,” said Yormary Tejadas, 8, who bounced around in an orange cape and mask. “I like to give to everybody and share my love.”
Parents in the north Brooklyn shelter said the party brings a lot of joy to their children, and helps them feel special, even if their birthday was months ago.
“I was so down in having money for her birthday. I couldn't give her a birthday that she wanted. So this is a birthday that she can have that's hers but not on her birthday,” said Talia Gerez, 31, whose 5-year-old daughter was the first to arrive at the party. She said her daughter had been looking forward to the event all week.
Volunteers and organizers for The Birthday Party Project say they plan to return next month to celebrate another batch of birthdays.
Photo by Karen Yi
“It's really, really beautiful,” she said. “It really means something, because it brings like an empowerment to my child.”
Gina Mejia, whose two sons were celebrating birthdays, said it’s hard for parents staying in shelters because they’re not always able to give their children more, especially on special occasions, but she said her children always find joy even in small things.
“The kids feel very happy no matter how little they have, the kids, as long as they have a little piece of cake or a little gift they are happy,” Mejia said in Spanish. “Sometimes we can’t give that to them as parents and so they help us.”
Paige Lohoefer, the Birthday Party Project's founder, said the organization is ramping up and throwing 32 parties a month across different U.S. cities and has partnered with two shelter providers in the city. She said the party isn’t just for the birthday kid; it’s also for their families and friends.
“We want them to feel a part of this as well, and we want them to say, see, that there are people out there that are cheering for them, that are acknowledging their existence,” she said. “It’s joy rising, that’s what it is.”
At the end of the celebration, every child celebrating a birthday got to blow out their candles, make a wish and receive a gift. Some wished for toys, others to get their nails done, and one for a job.
The volunteers and organizers then promised to come back next month, to celebrate the next group of June birthdays.
Tagged
new york city
economy
housing
brooklyn
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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