Smart Woman Online

Charitable Birthday Parties

January 17, 2008
By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz

It’s a new year and I have made a vow to get organized for a year’s worth of birthday parties — parties for my own four children and the parties they are invited to each month. It’s amazing how much time birthday parties can take up on weekends!

I am often asked how parents can teach their children about philanthropy. With so many families stretched for time and resources, fitting philanthropic activities into the weekend schedule may seem daunting.

But it can actually be quite easy and natural.

When giving is made a part of something that children already take part in — such as birthday parties — the philanthropic lesson is learned painlessly.

According to Hallmark, Americans spend more than $10 billion a year on birthday gifts. On birthday parties themselves, parents spend billions more.

What about a charitable birthday party? I find birthday parties with a giving component a refreshing change and an excellent learning opportunity for all involved.

If you want to throw a charitable birthday party, keep these points in mind:

• Talk to your child about a party that will not only be enjoyable but that also will help others. This will get your child enthusiastic about the party and the idea of giving.
• Make sure that the party is still about your child and that there is a “fun” element to the celebration.
• Consider your child’s interests and take time to research cool projects together.
• Allow your child to make the final decision on what effort (or efforts) to support.
• Get information in advance from the nonprofit group(s) that your child will support and plan to provide it to your guests.
• Think of how best to invite your guests to give — an invitation beats an outright request for cash.

There are a number of meaningful ways to incorporate a charitable component into a child’s birthday party. The following questions can help you decide what activity is right for your child and also fits your goals for teaching about giving.

• Will you give some or all of your child’s gifts away? Example: You can decide with your child to donate all gifts from the party, or to keep half and donate the rest to a local shelter.
• Do you want to invite guests to bring something for a specific charity in addition to a gift? Example: Invite guests to bring art supplies that can be donated to your local domestic violence center for its child therapy room.
• Will you invite guests to bring donations that then will be collected and sent by you and your child to a specific charity? Example: Your child asks that, in lieu of gifts, guests bring a check made out to the local children’s hospital, which then can all be sent by your child with a letter.
• Will you invite guests to make an online donation instead of bringing a gift? Example: Your child can establish a birthday registry showcasing his or her favorite charities at a website like www.GlobalGiving.org, which allows guests to donate online in your child’s name.

“We are seeing a wonderful new trend where kids and adults alike are creating birth-day registries and encouraging their friends and family to support projects around the world that they are passionate about,” says Donna Callejon, COO of www.GlobalGiving.org. “It’s a great way to encourage children and others to perhaps discover as well as support their philanthropic interests.”

• Do you want to have the party at a venue that allows gifts to be made (and then donated)? Example: Have a party at your local Build-A-Bear store, and allow children to make not only a bear for themselves but also one for another child. Then have the kids send the extra bears to a local hospital.

Other ideas:

• Let the party activity teach the children about giving. Example: Have the guests decorate cans. Supply plastic lids so they may be used as “giving jars”; place a dollar in each one and have the children take them home.
• Purchase goody bags/gifts from a nonprofit that makes items. Example: Buy dolls from your local women’s exchange and provide cards to guests describing how purchases help the exchange.
• Provide guests with parting gift certificates from websites such as www.JustGive.org. Example: In a goody bag, provide gift certificates that allow children to go online and make a donation to the charity of their choice — in their own name.
• Invite guests to not only bring an item for charity but also to assist in its delivery. Example: Invite guests to bring toys for dogs and cats and place the gifts in a basket as the children arrive. Then take the children to deliver the basket of goodies to your local ASPCA.

Hosting a charitable birthday party can be an enjoyable and meaningful way to introduce children to philanthropy. It can also be a great way to “fit” philanthropy into everyday life.

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