Pilot Program

Background

Cheerful Givers expanded to the state of Washington in late 2005. Since then, with the help of over 300 compassionate volunteers, 4,741 deserving children in the Seattle area have received a toy-filled birthday gift bag on their birthday!

Coordinator

Briana Keller first heard about Cheerful Givers through a People magazine story about the organization’s founder. When she learned that Cheerful Givers only operated in Minnesota, she asked for permission to bring Cheerful Givers to the West coast. Today, she serves as the Puget Sound Coordinator for Cheerful Givers’ first expansion pilot project. “I believe children deserve to be recognized. Cheerful Givers provides an easy, fun, tangible way to make a huge difference,” she says. Briana can be reached by email or by phone at 206-618-5215.

Current News

• The next Community Blitz will take place on Saturday April 17, from 2:00-3:00, at the Bellevue Public Library.
• We have been awarded a $2000 grant from the Moyer Foundation.  A big thanks to the Moyer Foundation and to Cheerful Givers volunteer grant writer Elaine Srinivas for this wonderful blessing!
• State of Washington employees can give to Cheerful Givers Washington (#1478364) through the Combined Fund Drive. 

Teams

The most fun way to help ensure that all children in Puget Sound receive a birthday gift is to become a Cheerful Givers Team Leader and host your own birthday bag making party, called a Blitz.  You decide how many bags you want to make, purchase the toys and wrapping supplies, and gather up some friends to help you assemble the bags.  A variety of groups in Puget Sound have created Cheerful Givers teams and hosted Blitzes since November 2005.  Here are a few examples.

• Worksplace Teams - UW Career Center, UW Counseling Center, UW Chemical Engineering, SupportMed
• Friend Teams – Husky Bags, Burhani Women, Afanadors
• School & Church Teams – Faith Lutheran Church, Eastside Catholic High School 

If you’re interested in becoming a Cheerful Givers Team Leader and hosting one or more events in the Seattle area, download instructions here or email Briana Keller.

Community Events

Another fun way to get involved is to donate an hour of time every few months to help fill hundreds of birthday bags at our large community blitzes.  Our next community event will likely be in March 2010…check back here in early 2010 for more informaton.  Below you’ll find details and photos from our past community events.

• Redmond (11/07/09) – A record-breaking 125 volunteers helped assemble 503 birthday bags to celebrate Cheerful Givers’ fourth birthday in Puget Sound.  
• Redmond (07/19/09) – 75 volunteers helped fill 504 birthday bags.
• Redmond (03/08/09) – 22 volunteers helped fill 600 birthday bags. 
• University of Washington (11/13/08) – Cheerful Givers was featured in the University of Washington Combined Fund Drive’s monthly Meet the Charities series.  Nearly 50 faculty and staff assembled 300 birthday bags in the HUB.
• Sammamish (10/11/2008) – Nearly 50 volunteers gathered at Sammamish Regional Library to make 300 birthday bags.
• Redmond (05/17/08) – Nearly 30 volunteers helped assemble 300 birthday bags.
• Redmond (01/12/08) – The Puget Sound Coordinator for Cheerful Givers celebrated her birthday by hosting Puget Sound’s first community birthday bag blitz.  She received $2366 in cash from 43 donors and toys from 9 additional people, which enabled 50 volunteers the opportunity to assemble 500 birthday bags. 

Press

• Redmond Reporter (11/20/09)
• Redmond Reporter (02/04/09)
• University of Washington’s University Week (11/13/08)
• Hopelink Reaching Out Newsletter (Summer 08)
• Redmond Reporter (01/16/08)
• Redmond Reporter (01/09/08)
• University of Washington’s University Week (04/12/07)
• Public Service Announcement

Recipient Organizations

• Hopelink – Bellevue, Bothell, Redmond, Kirkland, and Shoreline
• Fish Food Banks – Tacoma
• Volunteers of America – Everett
• Healthcare for the Homeless – Tacoma
• Sharing Security – Woodinville

Outreach

• UW Charity Fair (10/15/08)
• Eastlake High School Community Service Fair (9/08)
• Faith Lutheran Church Social Ministry of the Month (5/08)
• Eastside Volunteer Fair (5/3/08)
• Eastlake High School Community Service Fair (10/08/07)
• Eastside Volunteer Fair (04/21/07)
• Redmond Kiwanis Meeting (10/17/06)
• Eastside Volunteer Fair (04/20/06)

Learn More

• Subscribe to the Cheerful Givers Washington email list
• Sign up for the Cheerful Givers e-newsletter (see box to your right)
• Find more information about the organization