2015 was a year of change, and I am excited to be able to start new with where I feel Birthday Blessings is being led to go. We helped several children and their families last year and we saw new volunteer applications come in as well. I’d like to extend a big welcome to all the new volunteers who signed up with us last year.
January: New year came a new vision for what Birthday Blessings was all about. We started the planning phase for what we wanted to accomplish for the year.
February: Some of our changes took effect. We limited our school applications to a certain number for the month, and began to work with more social workers, school counselors and PAT educators to help make a bigger impact within our community. We also started design work on our new website and redefining our mission statement and what we are about.
March: We implemented an age requirement change for BBKC. Instead of reaching children ages 1-12, we changed the age requirement to ages 4-12.
April: We acquired a new shelter to work with. Welcome ReStart!. Also we made some changes with our shelter organizations. Because families in shelters don’t have a lot that they bring with them due to lack of space, we allowed all ages 1-16 to be helped by BBKC. Applications are being filled out by the directors of the shelters and not the families.
May: We were asked to help with NASCAR for the Spongebob 400. Thank you so much to our volunteers who came out and helped us acquire some funds/donations for BBKC. Our mission statement officially changed this month. Our new mission statement is Blessing Children and the Ministries Who Serve Them!
August: We made the hard decision that we will no longer accept public applications for Birthday Blessings. It was a struggle to accept this, but I really felt that God was leading our organization to help our shelters, transitional housings organizations and other community partners. Because we are limiting the applications, we would see a decrease in children, but I believe that this is where we are to be at this time and we are able to make a bigger impact within our community. I have learned it’s not about how many children we serve and the numbers we reach each year, it’s about helping the families who need it and blessing the organizations who are partnering with us. Our new website became live this month. Also during this month, I announced that my family and I are expecting our surprise 3rd child. We are due in just a couple of weeks – Feb 11th!
October: We were asked by NASCAR again to help with the races again for this month. We made $253!! I thank the volunteers who helped us and who took time out of their weekend in order to help us receive a donation.
We ended the year relaxed and a little slower, but we served 278 children for the year 2015. An amazing accomplishment and one that we would not have been able to do without the dedication and help from all of our volunteers.
I know that 2016 will be another great year and we are hoping to acquire more shelters, transitional housing organizations and reach more social workers within the KCK area. Our board members have tenured and we are looking forward to working with our new board members for this year.
As a reminder, I will be taking a maternity leave starting February 1st through April 2016. I will not be available for deliveries, so any help that you can give in the delivery department I would greatly appreciate it. I will be available for questions during that time, so email me any time!!
I want to thank all of you who have supported us and who have helped Birthday Blessings be what it is today. Without our bakers, gift givers, and donors, we would not be able to do what we do. We are making an impact within the KCK and KCMO communities and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2016 will bring us.
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