BRUNSWICK FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BIRTHDAY WISHES MINISTRY ANNOUNCE NEW COLLABORATION
Partnership Increases Support for Children from Low-income Families to Receive Educational Gifts
July 11, 2023 – Brunswick Family Assistance (“BFA”) and Birthday Wishes Ministry (“BWM”) today announced a new collaboration to address the needs of low-income families in Brunswick County. This collaboration brings together these two local non-profit organizations for the first time. BFA has been providing families in need with critical services for more than 40 years, while BWM has worked closely with Brunswick County Schools to provide educational gifts to more than 500 elementary-aged students since its inception in 2021.
Jill Leach, founder and CEO of BWM, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Brunswick Family Assistance to effectively expand the reach of our program so that we may serve more children through a more efficient process.” Leach continued, “This new relationship supports BFA’s vision to be a leader in partnering with other organizations to address gaps in services in Brunswick County, as well as BWM’s vision to help those children who may not have the opportunity otherwise to have a ‘Happy Birthday’. “
Beginning in August, families receiving services from BFA who have a child with a birthday the following month will be given a Birthday Wishes Ministry Gift Voucher by BFA staff. Then, on the first Monday of each month (or Tuesday if there is a holiday) starting in September, BWM volunteers will be onsite at the BFA Bolivia office from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to distribute birthday gifts to each family upon receipt of their voucher. The gifts will be wrapped and include a hand-made birthday card. While the BWM volunteers welcome the opportunity to personally meet the families, if a family is not able to make the first Monday distribution, they can redeem the voucher with BFA staff and receive the gift at another time that month.
ABOUT BIRTHDAY WISHES MINISTRY
Birthday Wishes Ministry is a 501(3)(c) non-profit program founded in 2021. Its mission is to provide birthday gifts to underprivileged children.
It began when founder, Jill Leach, was helping local families purchase Christmas gifts. A family asked Jill if one of the Christmas gifts could be wrapped in birthday paper as they had not purchased a birthday gift yet. The family could barely cover their rent that month and did not know how they would provide a birthday gift for their child. It was then that Jill knew this was the path God intended for her, thus, BWM was born with the intent to bring joy to local children on their special day.
Birthday Wishes Ministry is supported solely by volunteers, donations, sponsorships and grants as well as proceeds from its retail store, Another Woman’s Treasures, located at Crossroads Gathering Place on Oak Island. If you would like to be a part of this important ministry by providing monetary support, or by donating gently used women’s accessories, or if you would like additional information, please visit www.birthdaywishesministry.org or email Jill Leach at jleach@birthdaywishesministry.org.
ABOUT BRUNSWICK FAMILY ASSISTANCE
Brunswick Family Assistance is a private non-profit 501(c) (3) organization in operation since 1981.
It is a transformative, forward-looking, and collaborative organization that helps low-income people in Brunswick County to live a high quality of life. It envisions a community where all people have access to an adequate and nutritious supply of food and sufficient resources to sustain themselves. BFA is a leader in partnering with other organizations to help solve community problems as demonstrated by this recent collaboration with Birthday Wishes Ministry.
BFA is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals in crisis in Brunswick County, who are willing to help themselves, by providing emergency assistance and educational and skills development programs. Its outstanding record of serving families in need in its community with critical services for more than 40 years is made possible through the selfless and dedicated efforts of a lean staff and many volunteers, as well as the generosity of its donors.
BFA is dedicated to aiding the unemployed, the working poor, the elderly, the homeless, and the disabled. BFA provides a wide range of coordinated programs and services—food, clothing, housing assistance and emergency shelter, financial assistance for heating, utilities, medical prescriptions, and transportation—designed to have a measurable impact on people’s lives. It is located in Bolivia at 929 Old Ocean Highway and in Leland at 324-I Village Road. For more information, email info@brunswickfamily.org or call (910)754-4766.
