Fostering Joy - A Birthday Wish

Photograph by Philip Friedman/Studio D; hair and makeup by Ananda Khan at Big Leo. On Avery: Dress, Cherokee for Target. On Blythe: Dress, Jumping Beans, Kohl’s; shoes, Old Navy.
On Jane: Blouse, Diane von Furstenberg, Bloomingdale’s; jeans, Paige Denim, Bloomingdale’s; heels, J. Crew. On Claire: Top, Circo for Target; skirt, Cherokee for Target; shoes, Gap.
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HOUSEKEEPING
PARTY GIRLS
Jane’s daughters,
Avery, 8, Blythe,
6, and Claire, 7,
have granted
many birthday
wishes to
foster kids.
AS THE TWIN TOWERS FELL on September 11, 2001, Wall Street trader Jane Hoffman
E V E R Y D AY H E R O
Fostering
Joy
A New Jersey mom
helps make the birthday
wishes of children without
homes come true
ran in terror. Once safely home, she was pierced by the thought If that had been
it, would this have been enough? Shaken, she took stock of her life and realized the
answer was a resounding no. She resigned from her high-paying job and began
using her financial skills to fund-raise for small community nonprofits"—"but while
she found this work rewarding, she was still not quite fulfilled. Then, in 2014, as she
cruised a county fair in her New Jersey town with her kids, she hit on the idea of her
own nonprofit, A Birthday Wish (ABW). “In between the funnel cake and the bouncy
house, I found CASA [Court Appointed Special Advocates], a group of volunteers
who watch over neglected or abused children who have been removed from their
homes,” says Jane. She and her husband, Christian, had wanted to help children
without permanent homes since adopting their youngest, Blythe, in 2011. She asked
CASA for meaningful ways she could contribute; she’d heard about community
may 2016 G H 93
REAL LIFE
advice + inspiration
YOUR BOOKSHELF
I
YOU, MOM!
Celebrate the special bond between
a mother and a child with these true
tales that tug at the heart
SPREADING
CHEER
“My house looks
like a birthday
party every
day!” says
Jane. “I love
the generosity
of people who
do something
nice for a
child they will
never know.”
Go to
abirthdaywish
.org to grant a
wish or make
a donation.
drives to gather holiday gifts for kids
in foster-care shelters, but wondered
what happened for the children on their
birthdays. The heartbreaking answer:
Many received no present, no card,
not even a simple “Happy birthday.”
Determined to give such kids the
special days they deserved, she formed
partnerships with CASAs in six New
Jersey counties and solicited the wishes
of as many foster kids as possible. In
the year and a half since ABW was
born, Jane has raised over $49,000
and granted more than 500 wishes.
THE WISH LIST
Jane’s system is simple: Each month,
CASA sends her a list of requests from
kids and young adults (up to age 21)
under its watch; she posts it on her
website, where donors sign up to grant
individual requests. She also hosts community events like card-making and
gift-wrapping parties to ensure that each
child receives a personalized package.
It’s not just parents who step up to
help"—"one of the most popular ways
comes from other children, who ask
their birthday-party guests to fulfill a
wish for a foster child in lieu of bringing
a present. “It’s incredible to have kids
understand the importance of helping
those in need,” says Jane.
CARDS FOR BRIANNA
Diagnosed with terminal cancer in
her 30s, Heather McManamy wrote
notes to help her toddler navigate
life without her mom. Her hope
and humor will encourage readers
to love a little harder.
GIFTS THAT GIVE MORE
ABW brings more than just a day’s joy;
it’s also helping kids learn to trust again.
“Abused and neglected children have
experienced broken promises,” says Jane.
“Giving them something they specifically asked for is a step in trust-building.”
CASA volunteer Geraldine saw the
impact of ABW firsthand when a 3-yearold in foster care received her dream play
kitchen: “After she made me ‘dinner’ of
plastic eggs and hot dogs, I went to leave
and she couldn’t believe I wasn’t taking
the kitchen with me…that it was hers
to keep.” Now, that takes the cake.
—!Christine Kopaczewski
THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES
Intimate e-mails between journalist
Anderson Cooper and his mother,
Gloria Vanderbilt, reveal a lifetime
of things previously left unsaid. Full
of insider tales of one of America’s
most prominent families, this read is
dishy, heartwarming and wise.
YOU CAN MAKE A WISH COME TRUE, TOO!
Help support the 400,000 foster kids in the U.S.
1. Give foster teens
a dream prom by
donating a dress,
the cost of a tux rental,
or hair and makeup.
2. Help a youth
who is aging out of
care get established
by donating bedding,
towels, dishes and
cleaning supplies.
3. Ease a kid’s frequent
moves and allow him
to relocate with pride
by providing a new set
of luggage.
+ Ask a local CASA program what foster kids near you need most; casaforchildren.org.
WHERE THE LIGHT GETS IN
When her mother was diagnosed
with a rare form of dementia,
Kimberly Williams-Paisley had
to learn to love her all over again.
An honest memoir by the actress
wife of country star Brad Paisley.
PRESENTED BY
SECRET SOLUTION
For a stress-less commute, use your time on public transportation to download
a meditation track or app. Then close your eyes and focus on your breathing.