The Birthday Club launched in January 2017 to offer individualized resources for families in need that enable each child to have a special birthday celebration.

Organized by community volunteers Marina Grabovsky and Leah Aft, the success of the official kick-off event indicated great interest within our community to help support this new initiative. We are so thankful for everyone who attended and a special thanks to our event host, Marlo Katz.
 

“As a mother of three young children, I am fully aware of the excitement and anticipation of a child’s birthday!  My kids start counting down six months in advance, talking about what type of party they want to host for their friends, what gifts they would like, who they are inviting, and even what kind of cake they want that year.  I feel so fortunate that we are able to plan a special day to celebrate each of my kids!  When I first heard of the Birthday Club, I immediately knew it was a committee that I wanted to join and help steer.  I look forward to helping to give other parents the same sense of joy I feel when I see the excitement and hear my children’s laughter on their birthdays.  There is a sense of pride that a parent feels when she is able to host a small birthday party or take her child out for a special meal, and I am excited to be a part of enabling other parents to share that same feeling.” – Leah Aft

Julie Sondhelm, Community Social Worker at Jewish Family Services, has been sharing this new initiative with her clients and has already identified over 40 children within the Jewish community who could benefit from this exciting opportunity. 

“You really made me smile this morning with your heartwarming message! People don’t understand how hard it is to celebrate birthdays for your children sometimes.” – Parent Testimonial

The first two birthdays organized by The Birthday Club have already been a huge hit; we look forward to spreading the joy throughout the community!

For details about this project, contact BirthdayClubIndy@gmail.com.

This program is brought to you by community volunteers in coordination with Jewish Family Services and the Women’s Philanthropy program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.