This month, Lakers staff teamed up with The Birthday Party Project, a national organization that hosts monthly themed birthday parties at homeless and transitional living facilities. These parties are filled with games, decorations, dancing and cake. The mission of these parties is to spread joy to homeless youth as they celebrate their birthdays, when they may not otherwise have that opportunity.
In LA, The Birthday Party Project hosts multiple parties per month, at five different facilities. The Lakers staff worked with one facility to host a carnival themed party for about 30 kids. Staff also created treat bags during the day before the party, so that each kid received a Lakers drawstring full of Lakers goodies to keep.
At the party, Lakers staff put on costumes, blew up balloons, hung up streamers, and got the treat bags in place before the kids hurried out to party central. Once the kids arrived, games ensued, complete with a balloon animal artist and face painting! There were three birthdays being celebrated this month, and they each received a special Lakers present. This event was really special, as some of the kids had never had a birthday party before, and you could see the joy on their faces. To volunteer for a party near you, visit: www.thebirthdaypartyproject.org.
