Great Idea from the National Conference on Volunteering and Service
Gretchen Jordan with Oregon Long Term Ombudsman recently returned from the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Washington D.C. She learned of a wonderful program that she wanted to share with HandsOn and all HandsOn Partners.
Paula Pratt works for Harvesters.org in Kansas City, MO. They are a regional food bank. They offer birthday parties to the general public! There is a free space at their location where they book parties. A cake is donated and for the parties there is an activity for the guests, such as packing food or cleaning off cans and a tour; (age specific tasks) and the guests also bring food in lieu of gifts.
The staff only provides supervision around the activity, but it the parties are very popular. They have youth of all ages attend, but also 40th and 50th parties too!
http://www.harvesters.org/GiveTime/Index.asp?Reference=BirthdayParties&~=
Thanks for sharing this awesome idea Gretchen!
All HandsOn Deck! 
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