Birthday Blessings Needs More Space
Wed, 02/09/2022 - 11:41am
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“I never thought we would be facing these kinds of decisions. When we started in 2013, I thought this was going to be a little family project. I put together the first birthday bags on my kitchen counter,” said Shannon VonAllmen, founder of Birthday Blessings, “My family has run out of space to live, and the charity is having operational issues due to lack of workspace. It’s time to find a new home for Birthday Blessings.”
The charity has grown to serve Missouri foster kids in 23 counties. Last year, they gave out more than 1,000 birthday party bags with gifts and other resource packages to kids in care.
Kathleen Wolf, Program Coordinator for the 37tth Judicial Court Appointed Special Advocates, has spent more than 40 years working with foster kids. She has witnessed the lack of resources in the foster system and the benefits offered by the faith-based organization.
“Receiving a gift that is new, what they asked for and is not something discarded by someone else helps these kiddos feel like they are important and not forgotten. CASA advocates state kids light up when they receive care packages and relish each detail. They might hug the gift, handle it with care, admire the paper and bows, and exclaim their excitement!” Wolf finished.
VonAllmen said while they provide resources to so many kids, the goal is to make sure every child feels like the only one they serve. Unfortunately, there are many more kids waiting to be served.
“We really need more room,” she said. “West Plains is where this mission started and it is where we would like to stay. We really need to find an independent building that suits our needs here. It’s home.”
The organization is funded through donations from individuals, businesses, civic groups and foundations. Local support includes the Optimist Club of West Plains and the West Plains Community Foundation. They have established a building fund. To donate or information visit www.birthday-blessings.org or call 417-372-5306. For information about advocacy through CASA, call 417-255-2100.