Spreading
Birthday
Cheer!
BEVERLY’S BIRTHDAYS HELPS
HOMELESS CHILDREN
FIND A REASON TO CELEBRATE.
BY HEATHER HOLTSCHLAG
I
n March 2011, Megan (Megs) Yunn of North Huntingdon
was volunteering at an afterschool program. She was helping a
young girl named Beverly. Beverly was asked to use the phrase
“accustomed to” in a sentence. Yunn offered her an example, “At a
birthday party, people are accustomed to eating what?” Beverly’s
surprising response stunned Yunn. “I’ve never had a birthday party or
birthday cake,” said the young girl. This was a life-changing moment
for Yunn.
“The fact that a 12-year-old girl had never experienced a birthday
party of her own inspired me,” Yunn explains. “I decided to start an
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organization to plan birthday celebrations for
homeless youth in the Pittsburgh area.”
The following June, Yunn submitted her
idea to the “BE BIG in Your Community
Contest.” She was selected as the first place
winner from more than 1,000 entries in
the nation! And the organization, Beverly’s
Birthdays, was born.
The nonprofit provides birthday celebrations to
homeless children living in shelters in the Pittsburgh area.
“We believe that every child, regardless of personal or financial