News
It doesn't matter how old you are, you want your birthday to be acknowledged in some way. And this pressure for celebration is even greater among the younger generation, whose primary form of socializing is birthday parties.
But birthdays come hand in hand with a lot of pressure. To begin with, if you're a parent, you're expected to not only shell out on a gift for your child, but more often than not, a venue and party materials too. Sadly, this is beyond the means of the 13.6% of Americans who are estimated to live in poverty, resulting in a lot of upset children on their birthdays.
Credit: Pixabay
After encountering this problem at her school where 80% of students live below the poverty line, nine-year-old Bella Smith decided to take action. The third grader at Wyan-Pine Grove Elementary School in Kentucky did this by creating "Bella's Boxes".
Credit: Marlana Evans
In an interview with Good Morning America, Bella's mom, Marlana Evans, who is also a teacher at the school, explained that her daughter got the idea after a friend at school told her that they couldn't afford a birthday party.
"The school she attends is a Title 1 school, which means 80% of the population here is impoverished - so we have students that struggle with a lot of things," she said.
Credit: Marlana Evans
Because of this poverty, Evans explained, the school as a backpack club to provide students with the essentials that they need.
Now, the school's Family Resource Centre is also stocked with Bella's Boxes which are filled with cake mix, balloons, icing, and sprinkles.
Credit: Pexels
The contents of these boxes are typically donations from members of the community, and instead of asking for presents of her own birthday, the selfless nine-year-old asks for donations for the boxes.
"I'm extremely proud of her," Evans said. "She's a very good girl with a big heart."
Credit: Marlana Evans
Even though it is only April, Bella has already packed 65 boxes this year!
To see Bella packing up her birthday boxes for yourself, check out the video below:
She told Good Morning America: "I thank God for the opportunity for letting me be able to shine my light and show that I love my neighbor."
May 16, 2019
5 mins
Mums Praise 'Miracle' Bubble Bath That 'Makes Babies Sleep All Night'
A problem which plagues all new parents is getting their baby to sleep through the night. While waking up for feeds is inevitable, when a child is waking up every other hour, it can be a draining experience for parents, who, with the responsibilities of modern life, don't want to…
May 28, 2019
5 mins
School Creates Pay-What-You-Want Lunch So Students Can Eat Without Embarrassment
A school in Annapolis is offering a pay-what-you-want lunch initiative. The scheme was set up to reduce the divisions created by wealth in the area, which resulted in many pupils turning up to school hungry - a situation that was not only impacting their ability to learn but causing social…
Jun 05, 2019
5 mins
Miracle Baby's Life-Affirming Smile Sends Hope To Anxious First Time Parents
When you're an expectant parent, there is nothing more anxiety-inducing than the idea that your child could be born unhealthy. You're helpless in the matter - there's very little you can do if your baby happens to be born with a weakened immune system or a rare, incurable condition. That's…
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive only good things