Birthday Wishes

What Birthday Wishes does

Birthday Wishes, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Sudbury, Massachusetts (relocated from Natick in July 2025), with a regional office in Hicksville, New York. It is the first U.S. organization dedicated to celebrating the birthdays of children experiencing homelessness, and operates through a community-led model distributing celebration supplies via a network of 200+ shelter partners across seven states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York, and California). The organization is staffed by 36 employees and engages 500+ annual volunteers and a Student Ambassador program to assemble and deliver its core Birthday-in-a-Box kits.

The organization's product portfolio centers on age-segmented celebration programs: the flagship Birthday-in-a-Box (ages 1-13) provides complete party supplies including cake mix, decorations, and gifts; Teen Birthday-in-a-Box (ages 14-17) offers $25 gift cards to Target, Walmart, or Amazon for self-directed gifting; Baby BIRTHday Bundle supports expecting and new mothers in partnership with Northwell hospitals; Happy Birthday Snack Packs extend the celebration to school settings; and the newly launched "You Did it!" Graduation Boxes target Class of 2026 high school seniors. Fundraising products include the $50 Birthday Bear Box and the Joy in July gift-card drive. Birthday Wishes has celebrated over 110,000 birthdays cumulatively, with 6,000+ children served annually and an explicit 20% year-over-year growth target.

The revenue model relies entirely on charitable contributions: individual donations (website, Amazon Wishlists, Donate Your Birthday campaigns), tiered corporate sponsorships (Corporate Superheroes, Champions, Partners, Friends), grants from foundations (e.g., Charlesview Charitable Fund, Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation), and four signature annual fundraising events (Birthday Shuffle, Putt for Presents, Food Wine & Wishes, and Confetti & Kindness). The organization holds Charity Navigator's Four Star rating and Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency, and is governed by a Board chaired by Mike Albert (CFO, Strategy Capital, LLC). Strategic corporate partners include Village Automotive Group (which funds delivery transportation), Cummings Foundation, ORIX USA, Village Bank, DCU for Kids, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Birthday Wishes

Legal name

Birthday Wishes, Inc.

Website

https://birthdaywishes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birthday Wishes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that provides birthday celebrations and milestone kits to children and families experiencing homelessness via 200+ shelter partners across seven U.S. states, serving 6,000+ children annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Charity Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Birthday Party Services (HSACACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Anniversary & Milestone Celebration Services (HSACACAD)

Keywords

• Homeless children services
• Nonprofit birthday programs
• Shelter partnership programs
• Charitable fundraising events
• Community volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals through the website, direct mail, and fundraising campaigns. Donors can make one-time or recurring contributions, donate their birthday, or purchase specific items from Amazon Wishlists.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial sponsorships at various tiers (Corporate Superheroes, Champions, Partners, Friends), event sponsorships, and in-kind donations of products and services.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Birthday Shuffle (casino night), Putt for Presents (golf tournament), Food Wine & Wishes, and Confetti & Kindness generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and fund-a-need appeals.
4. Product Sales: Sale of Birthday Bear Boxes for $50 each, where donors receive a teddy bear with a child's name and wish list, supporting birthday celebrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Birthday Wishes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers complete birthday celebration packages to children experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Through its flagship Birthday-in-a-Box program and a network of 200+ partner shelters across seven states, the organization provides customized celebrations including cake supplies, decorations, gifts, and themed party materials for children ages 0-17, plus specialized bundles for expecting mothers and graduation milestone boxes.

Product overview

Birthday Wishes is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of programs providing birthday celebrations and milestone recognition to children and families experiencing homelessness. The core offering is the Birthday-in-a-Box program, which delivers complete celebration packages to children ages 1-13 through shelter partners. This is supplemented by the Teen Birthday-in-a-Box for older youth (14-17), the Baby BIRTHday Bundle for expecting mothers, Happy Birthday Snack Packs for school celebrations, and the newly launched 'You Did it!' Graduation Boxes for high school seniors. Fundraising initiatives like Birthday Bear Boxes and Joy in July support these programs, while volunteer opportunities through Service Projects and the Student Ambassador Program enable community participation. All programs work through a network of 200+ shelter partners across seven states to reach over 6,000 children annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Birthday-in-a-Box: Program distributing birthday supplies including paper plates, napkins, decorations, goody bags, gifts, candles, cake mix, frosting and cake pan to children ages 1-13 and their families in shelters.
• Teen Birthday-in-a-Box
• Baby BIRTHday Bundle
• Happy Birthday Snack Pack
• You Did it! Graduation Boxes

Products and services

• Birthday-in-a-Box The flagship program delivering complete birthday celebration packages including paper plates, napkins, decorations, goody bags, gifts, candles, cake mix, frosting, and a cake pan. Contents are customized by theme, age, and gender and serve up to 8 people, enabling families staying in shelters to invite friends or family to celebrate together.
• Teen Birthday-in-a-Box A specialized program for teenagers 14-17 years old featuring a gift card from Target, Walmart, or Amazon (valued at $25) which gives teens the autonomy to choose their own birthday gift, supplemented with a happy birthday cookie, candy, decorations, and other smaller gifts.
• Baby BIRTHday Bundle

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 110,000 children have experienced a Birthday Wishes celebration since 2002
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Village Automotive GroupflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Superhero sponsor and Deliver Happiness Sponsor. Village Automotive provides transportation funding to help deliver Birthday-in-a-Box celebrations throughout Massachusetts, ensuring children in smaller shelters and rural communities receive celebrations. Their sponsorship offsets rising transportation costs and helps reach both large shelters and small community-based programs.
• HasbrocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Partner providing in-kind toy donations for birthday celebrations.
• Syosset and Plainview Northwell HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partners collaborating on Baby BIRTHday Bundle program. Hospital teams create baby bundles and diaper cakes monthly for expecting and new moms experiencing homelessness, extending support from hospital to home.
• Bright Horizons Foundation for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner hosting Teen Birthday-in-a-Box builds. They've put together more than 160 boxes with a goal of 400, and their grant support helps include $25 gift cards in every teen box.
• Concord Lions Club, Acton Lions Club, Lexington Lions Club, Woburn Host Lions Club, Woburn Middlesex Lions Club, Woburn Breakfast Lions ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple Lions Clubs came together to build hundreds of teen Birthdays-in-a-Box along with materials including gift cards.
• New York IslandersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBirthday Wishes participated in the New York Islanders' Hockey with the Heart program, raising awareness about their mission and fundraising during an Islanders game.
• Clear Channel OutdoorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided first billboard advertising as a gift-in-kind donation, displaying Birthday Wishes' mission for public visibility.
• Merry Go SweetsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalpole, Massachusetts candy company donor spotlighted for their support of birthday celebrations.
• Santana Team (Hudson Santana Realty)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the 2025 Birthday Shuffle event.
• 200+ Shelter PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of shelters across 7 states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York, California) that work directly with families, domestic violence survivors, substance abuse recovery, and teen mothers. Shelters receive Birthday-in-a-Box kits to distribute to families.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cradles to Crayons: Provides clothing, shoes, books, and school supplies to children from birth through age 12 experiencing homelessness and low-income circumstances. Closely aligned distribution-through-partner-agency model targeting the same beneficiary population.
• Good+Foundation: Provides baby gear, clothing, and supplies to families in need, particularly new parents. Directly comparable to Birthday Wishes' Baby BIRTHday Bundle program and shared focus on caregiver-empowerment through tangible support.
• National Diaper Bank Network: Distributes diapers to families in need through a national network of partner diaper banks. Mirrors Birthday Wishes' multi-state partner-distribution model and reliance on corporate in-kind donations and individual giving.
• Help a Mother Out: Diaper bank serving families experiencing poverty in California. Comparable nonprofit distributing tangible essential items through partner agencies to families with young children facing housing or financial instability.
• Project Linus: Provides handmade blankets to children in need, including those in shelters and hospitals. Comparable volunteer-driven, item-distribution nonprofit serving children in crisis through community chapters.
• Pajama Program: Delivers pajamas and books to children in need, including those experiencing homelessness, through partner organizations. Mirrors Birthday Wishes' volunteer-driven, partner-network distribution of curated care packages.
• Baby2Baby: National nonprofit providing diapers, clothing, and basic necessities to children living in poverty. Most comparable to Birthday Wishes in distributing tangible essential items through a partner-agency network to families experiencing hardship.
• KISSES for Kids: Provides basic needs and birthday/holiday support for children experiencing poverty and homelessness. Direct mission overlap with Birthday Wishes, particularly around birthday celebrations and tangible goods distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Toys for Tots: Large-scale toy distribution program for children in need across the U.S. Operates a similar donor-and-distribution model at significantly greater scale; less specialized than Birthday Wishes but exercises comparable category muscle around children's tangible goods.

Emerging players

• Project Sweet Peas: Provides care packages and support to families with NICU infants. Comparable care-package distribution model serving a narrower, more specialized pediatric population than Birthday Wishes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/birthdaywishesvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/birthdaywishes
• Instagraminstagram.com/birthdaysmatter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birthday-wishes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Birthday Wishes