One by one, Jacqueline Dale takes the birthday items out of the box. From whipped cream and streamers to presents, these are all products that are part of a birthday party, but that many parents cannot afford. The students of Kindcentrum De Marke are impressed; These are products that many poor families cannot afford and so there is often no party on a child’s birthday.
Dale is an ambassador of the Jarige Job foundation. The foundation collects money and gifts to give children growing up in poverty a party. “Did you know that 315,000 children cannot celebrate their birthday in the Netherlands?”
De Marke is one of the many schools participating in the action in Aa and Hunze. It is organized by Jeanette Bentum, who has been collecting gifts for Birthday Job with her daycare center for some time now. “This year I wanted something bigger. So I wrote to all the schools, visited everywhere and as I hear now, things are going fantastic. There are already several schools that have sent a photo of the boxes in the school, which are already quite large. are filled with presents.”
On January 23, the proceeds from the various schools and shelters will be collected at Huis op Stelten in Nieuw Annerveen. Other interested parties who have a present lying around are also welcome to bring it along.
According to Bentum, it is important that these are unused, unopened gifts in the original packaging. “We would like to give them something special with new toys, because children who grow up in poverty often have enough second-hand gifts.”