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Toyota’s Mothers of Invention recently recognized Paige Chenault, the creator of The Birthday Party Project. The campaign honors women who are bringing about positive change in the world via creativity, innovation, and business.
A Texas mother is being praised for her efforts to celebrate children around the nation. The Birthday Party Project is a nonprofit organization that hosts birthday celebrations for kids living in homeless shelters.
It was established in 2012 by Paige Chenault. She was also recognized this year as one of Toyota’s Mothers of Invention. The carmaker collaborates with Women in the World (WITW) to highlight and recognize female visionaries who have come up with the most creative solutions to some of the most critical problems facing the world today.
Photo Credits – Respective Owner
The Birthday Party Project was definitely the result of Chenault’s journey, which was undoubtedly one of creativity and compassion.
In 2008, the former wedding and event coordinator, who was expecting her first child, started planning the birthday celebrations she would host for her daughter, according to Chenault, who was reading an article about children’s birthday parties while flipping through Parents magazine, Parents.com.
Naturally, this was before Pinterest, so upon viewing these lovely pictures, I was quite pleased to think of ways to honor her.
She picked up TIME a short while later. “And when I opened the first article, it was about a young child in Haiti who was missing his shirt, had no shoes on his feet, had sunken eyes, and had a bloated belly. I was overwhelmed with concern for him. My stomach truly burned, and I felt like I had been punched in the gut.
When I got off the plane and began crying uncontrollably, I recall telling my husband, “I feel like I should be celebrating children who might not otherwise feel celebrated and spending all the resources we have to achieve this.”
Although she felt compelled to help kids everywhere, she acknowledged that there were kids in her own community to whom she could raise the same query: “What about them?” At that time, she began helping at a Dallas homeless shelter and hosting monthly birthday celebrations for the youngsters there.
Chenault claims that while attending that first party, as she observed the proceedings from a corner of the room, she understood it was about much more than just celebrating her birthday.
She claims that “this is about connection, unity.” “I saw we were on to something really special.” Understanding that insight, an 11-year-old child came up to her and said, “Ms. Paige, thank you. I’ve never had a birthday celebration before this one.”
Presently, The Birthday Party Project throws celebrations in 15 cities, including Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC, for homeless shelters. They have teamed up with organizations and shelters in these communities, such as A Safe Haven in Chicago and the Salvation Army in Austin.
The Birthday Party Project, in Chenault’s opinion, is so effective because of its grassroots nature, which she is quite proud of. “We have always just relied on the tools at our disposal. People really did just come together behind this notion and turn up prepared to celebrate kids.”
The driving solutions grant from Toyota’s Mothers of Invention is only one of the honors Chenault’s mission has won. Chenault is undoubtedly deserving of these honors.
Making every child feel important and celebrated is the noble goal of The Birthday Party Project, and that reward is certain to further that goal.
