Hope With Frosting On Top

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 7 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫
The forgotten reality ... there are children who are homeless. In shelters. On the streets. Living a life they didn’t choose. And that’s what makes what Paige C. Lohoefer is doing so miraculous.

Tonya Beeler and I just volunteered in Dallas with The Birthday Party Project, a nonprofit that Paige created, whose sole purpose is hosting birthday parties for kids living in homeless shelters across the U.S.

It reminded me just how powerful joy can be. Despite.

Balloons, cake, music, smiles ... what might seem like small gestures actually CAN help restore hope. With glitter. so. much. glitter.

I saw the smiles. Heard the squeals. Dodged the Nerf darts. But beneath the balloons and frosting, I could also feel the tension - 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

As someone who experienced homelessness earlier in life, I know how much it means to be seen - especially when the daily feels uncertain.

And that’s why I absolutely loved my recent Forbes Quadel podcast conversation with Paige Lohoefer.

Her mission: bring 𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 experiencing 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.

From one volunteer moment to a national movement, Paige reminds us: 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐱 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩.

So that's what we did.