I’m Donating My Birthday To Charity

Did you know that 1 in 45 children in America experience homelessness each year? That's a staggering 1.6 million homeless children in our country. - National Center on Family Homelessness.

My birthday is on October 2nd and as it approaches, I reflect on the many blessings that I have and find myself extremely grateful for a family who always loves me, friends who always support me, and a home that I can call my own. So for my birthday this year, in lieu of giving me presents, I’d like to ask if you would consider making a donation to the drawchange foundation so that others may find the same blessings that I have.

Most of you know that I have been volunteering with the drawchange foundation for the past year and it’s a charity that I've fallen in love with. By visiting homeless shelters in Atlanta, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia, drawchange provides the art supplies and instruction needed to inspire children to create real and lasting change for themselves. I've gone to different homeless shelters in Atlanta multiple times with drawchange, and have personally seen how art therapy improves children's attitudes, self-esteem, and enhances their overall school performance- they really are drawing change!

One of my favorite art projects we did with the kids was when we created "Vision Boards," a huge collage of their dreams. They hung them up by their beds so they could literally envision their dreams every night. I remember a beautiful moment when a lock of hair fell into a little girl’s eyes, but she refused to lift a finger off her crayon to move it. Through art, she forgot about poverty & hunger and created something she was proud to own.

I am honored to donate my birthday to such a wonderful organization, dedicated to positively changing the lives of underprivileged children around the world. Thank you SO much to my family and friends for your generosity, kindness, support, and love. I’m so lucky to approach another birthday with all of you by my side. This will be the best birthday of my life! 

Love,

Ashley