Celebrate a Birthday with a Foster Teen

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It’s Thursday and you’re sitting at lunch with some of your peers discussing the upcoming weekend. One person exclaims, "I’m celebrating my birthday this weekend! My family has a three-day celebration planned and I know it’s going to top last year’s!" Everyone begins to speculate what the gifts will be and what the cake will look like. They haven’t noticed how you’ve withdrawn from the conversation. Today is your birthday; however, it hasn’t been acknowledged by anyone in the past five years.

The sadness and abandonment that is felt in this moment is how many of our foster teens feel.

Celebrating birthdays is the one thing the teens in JFCS’s care want the most. "We just want someone to say 'Happy Birthday’ and recognize that we want the same thing as other kids our age - we want our own cake, a small gift - a general celebration and human contact with people that care about the day we were brought into this world," said Brianne, a 15-year old foster child.

Does this interest you? If so, continue reading!

Birthday volunteers are matched with teen foster children to celebrate their birthdays. The birthday event takes place at Dave & Busters. This venue has been chosen because it offers a place where the teen can have a sit-down restaurant experience as well as a fun time playing games and having fun. The volunteer sponsors are asked to make a $100 donation for the event. This contribution will cover lunch for the teen, a gift (a $25 gift card for them), a cake and gameplay for the duration of the event.

How it works:

• All you have to do is sign up!

Details:

• Mandatory training with CEO, Colleen Rodriguez, is required. Trainings are once a month at the 8540 Baycenter location. Dates are sent out to prospective volunteers a month prior to meeting date.
• Volunteers will be assigned to one foster teen to celebrate their birthday. However, there will be multiple teens and volunteers in a group setting for the purpose of comfort. Therefore, you will be with other volunteers that have sponsored a teen for their birthday.
• You are not responsible for getting your teen to the restaurant - the JFCS staff and case managers will bring them.
• Two weeks prior to the birthday celebration, JFCS will send you an informational sheet on your teen so you can get to know them. This sheet will list name, birthdate, age, gender, race, favorite colors, hobbies, dessert choice and other helpful information on your assigned teen.
• JFCS will provide you with a list of icebreaker questions to help with any anxiety our volunteers have prior to going to meet the teen in regards to what to and what not to say.
• Please do not provide your phone or email information to the teen. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat can pose a danger to a foster child in our care, depending upon their situation. Any outside contact should be coordinated through the child’s case manager.
• HAVE FUN! This is an experience we hope you and the teen enjoy to the fullest!