NEWS
We're excited that we are now providing several new Brunswick County organizations with gifts for their clients to give to their children to celebrate their special day!
Hope Harbor Home, Brunswick County's Domestic Violence Program & Shelter, and The Christian Recovery Centers, Inc. including the Rose House are all now on board! By providing the gifts to the parents to give to their children on their visits, they can be the hero in the children's eyes! --March, 2025
Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina - Waccamaw, NC
We support the foster children at the Boys & Girls Home in Waccamaw, North Carolina! In addition to providing birthday gifts, once a quarter we host a birthday party for about 30 children on site for the children who are in residence! We've had great fun with this! Water balloon fights and pinatas were two of the favorites for the kids, oh... and the adults too for sure!
And there's more! In addition, we supply birthday gifts to 100+ children a year who are located in foster homes throughout the area counties who are managed by the Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina.
NC Guardian ad Litem (GALs)
The GALs volunteers provide a gift to their client child on their birthday made possible by Birthday Wishes Ministry! We also provide a birthday cake to each teen as they celebrate their 18 birthday at the courthouse after their final court appearance!
Foster Pantry, Wilmington, North Carolina
Our organization provides gifts to the foster children through The Foster Pantry in Wilmington. We provide an inventory of our wrapped gifts to keep on hand and distribute them upon request of the child's court representative.
NC Guardian ad Litem District 15- Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus Counties
We are happy to be a part of the Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) program in our area! The North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program equips community volunteers to serve abused and neglected children by advocating for their best interests in court. We are now providing gifts to the volunteers to present to their children! How exciting!
June, 2024
Thank you Sacred Heart Catholic Ladies Guild
We were the recipient of a very special donation from the Ladies Guild proceeds from their Fashion Show/Victorian High Tea! Your generosity has helped us to grow our ministry! We are truly blessed! Thank you!
May, 2024
THANK YOU!
Our heartfelt thanks to Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) for awarding Birthday Wishes Ministry with a 2024 grant! This ministry couldn't be successful without your support!
May, 2024
THANK YOU!
Our organization is so very thankful to the Brunswick Country Association of Realtors support of our ministry! A big thank you to all who contributed!
May, 2024
Two new partnerships! My how we're growing!
Foster BrunsCo, Supply, NC
Foster BrunsCo is a local nonprofit aimed at fostering the image of God in all people in Brunswick County, starting with those involved in the foster care system. We provide birthday gifts to the foster families on a quarterly basis during their pop up shop!
May, 2024
The Lord's Pantry, Shallotte, NC
The Lords Food Pantry is a mission of the South Brunswick Interchurch Council (SBIC) in Brunswick County, North Carolina. We are servants of Jesus from churches in South Brunswick County. Each of us is a volunteer worker, providing comfort and aid to our neighbors in need. All in the name of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. We handout gifts to their clients on the last Saturday of each month at their Shallotte location!
May, 2024
Just One Partnership - 2024
Birthday Wishes is now supporting Just One Ministry!
Just One is a ministry founded in 2019 under New Beginnings Community Church. They saw the need for more foster parents in Brunswick County and decided to support those stepping into this space through fostering, kinship care, and parents seeking reunification. By supporting these families, they can give hope for a better future for the child in crisis.
Birthday Wishes Ministry is proud to be partnering with Just One to help celebrate the children's birthdays.
Brunswick Family Assistance Partnership - 2023/2024
Through our program and initiatives, we strive to make a positive impact on the world and to help those who need it the most. By collaborating with Brunswick Family Assistance (“BFA”) in Bolivia, North Carolina, we are able to address the needs of low-income families in Brunswick County. This collaboration brings together our two local non-profit organizations. BFA has been providing families in need with critical services for more than 40 years while our ministry has worked closely with Brunswick County Schools to provide educational gifts to more than 500 elementary aged students since its inception in 2021.
In August of 2023, families receiving services from BFA who have a child with a birthday in the current or following month will be given a Birthday Wishes Ministry Gift Voucher by BFA staff. Each client can then redeem their voucher for their child's gift any time at the Bolivia office during BFA's regular business hours.
Our gifts are pre-wrapped and include a hand-made birthday card. Our team selects learning or challenge games which are age specific, gender-neutral, and can be played as single player games.
The Starbucks Foundation Awards Neighborhood Grant to Birthday Wishes Ministry
The Neighborhood Grant recognizes community impact that Birthday Wishes Ministry has had in supporting financially challenged Brunswick County families by providing educational birthday gifts to Brunswick County children.
As part of The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program, Birthday Wishes was selected to receive a $1,000 grant. This grant award is thanks to a nomination(s) from a local Starbucks partner (employee) who recognized the work of the organization in Brunswick County with children. Through this unique program, The Starbucks Foundation invites Starbucks partners to nominate a local organization in their community. Since 2019, more than 10,000 grants have been awarded to local organizations, amounting to more than $15 million.
The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program supports grassroots, community-led nonprofit organizations through catalytic investments in the form of grants. Neighborhood Grants also help build sustained local impact and inspire increased partner (employee) engagement with nonprofit organizations that work in their communities. “Our partners (employees) know their communities best, and have shared great insights about the organizations helping to uplift others in their neighborhoods, from supporting youth and families to fighting hunger and promoting environmental stewardship,” said Alicia Vermaele, executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “Through our latest round of Neighborhood Grants, we’re proud to support local organizations nominated by Starbucks partners who make our communities stronger.” Learn more about the Neighborhood Grants program at Starbucks Stories.
"We’re excited to continue our work in our community with help from a Neighborhood Grant from The @Starbucks Foundation. This grant will help us bring more birthday smiles to children in Brunswick County," said Jill Leach, founder and CEO of Birthday Wishes Ministry.
Birthday Wishes Ministry
Birthday Wishes Ministry is a 501(3)(c) non-profit program founded in 2021. Its mission is to provide birthday gifts to underprivileged children. It began when founder, Jill Leach, was helping local families purchase Christmas gifts. A family asked Jill if one of the Christmas gifts could be wrapped in birthday paper as they had not purchased a birthday gift yet. The family could barely cover their rent that month and did not know how they would provide a birthday gift for their child. It was then that Jill knew this was the path God intended for her, thus, BWM was born with the intent to bring joy to local children on their special day.
The Starbucks Foundation
The Starbucks Foundation strengthens humanity by transforming lives across the world, with a focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law. Learn more at Starbucks Stories.
August, 2023
St. James Service Club Awards Birthday Wishes - 2023
St. James Service presented Deborah Edwards, Vice President of Birthday Wishes with a check for $1,000 as part of their grant program. The St. James Service Club, Inc. is a non-profit corporation dedicated to identifying and supporting the needs of our community though volunteer participation and fund raising.
The Club has a very disciplined process of vetting Brunswick County non-profit organizations. Each organization is personally visited, and their needs are identified. Organizations submit grant applications each year for consideration. The Service Club Board of Directors, with the guidance of the Community Organization Chair, determine the recipients and the grant amount.
June, 2023
Sacred Heart Ladies Guild - 2023
Birthday Wishes Ministry was awarded $1,000 from Sacred Heart Catholic Church's Ladies Guild as part of their yearly donation program to local non-profits.
The Ladies Guild mission is to promote fellowship among the women of the parish and enhance their spiritual growth by prayer and activities that facilitate charitable works through assistance to community organizations.
June, 2023
FOCUS Broadband awards community grants - 2023
Birthday Wishes Ministry was awarded $2,500 from FOCUS Broadband. The funds are part of the cooperative's grant program, which has awarded more than $1 million dollars in community and education grants since its inception in 2006. A spokesperson from FOCUS Broadband commented on the organization's grant program saying, "We're honored to award community grants to these deserving non-profits. Each organization plays a critical role in supporting the members of our community and we are proud to provide them with resources to help expand their impact."
May, 2023
Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) - 2023
Birthday Wishes Ministry was awarded $1,000 from BEMC CommUnity Grants. Since 2003, Brunswick Electric has provided grants to community groups and non-profit organizations that make a difference in the lives of our members through the Community Grants program. This program's funding comes from the equipment auction during the B
EMC Annual Meeting. Since its inception, nearly $685,000 has been given back to the community through this program.
May, 2023
Jill Leach honored with Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award - 2023
Our founder, Jill Leach, received NSDAR's Community Service Award for her nonprofit Birthday Wishes Ministry for children. She was nominated by Brunswick Town Chapter NSDAR, and presented with the award at the chapter's May meeting.
Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization founded in 1890 for women who can prove direct, blood lineage from a Revolutionary War Patriot. The organization promotes patriotism, education and historic preservation.
May, 2023
