We're So Glad You Were Born - We Love Birthday Parties w/ Shelly Calvert Part 1

Why Celebrating a Child’s Birthday Can Heal Trauma — We Love Birthday Parties

What if a simple birthday party could change the trajectory of a child’s life?

Join us as Shelly Calvert, founder of We Love Birthday Parties, shares how simple celebrations bring healing, dignity, and hope to kids from hard places in Miami County and beyond. Discover powerful stories of childhood poverty, birthday boxes, afterschool programs, and the life-changing impact of showing up for a child. If you want to mentor youth, volunteer locally, or support struggling families, this episode will inspire your next step.

Shelly shares:

• The moment God stirred her heart to serve kids in foster care and beyond
  

• How a birthday party became a pathway to healing and hope
  

• The incredible impact volunteers can make—sometimes in just one hour
  

• The stories that keep her going when the work feels heavy
  

• Why community-driven compassion is essential for collective well-being
  

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a real difference in a child’s life—or how small acts of love can transform a whole community—this episode will move you and give you a clear path to get involved.

👉 Take a simple next step: Complete this quick 2-minute, non-committal interest form to explore how you can help care for at-risk kids throughout Miami County: https://tr.ee/mpmc_digital

🎥 Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rsUGUdINI48

00:00 – Kids who don’t know their birthday & the heart behind the mission

01:00 – Why birthdays matter so deeply for children

02:40 – Podcast introduction

03:00 – Who Shelly is and the vision of We Love Birthday Parties

04:20 – “How are the children?” — What kids are facing today

06:00 – Childhood trauma, overwhelmed parents & unseen stories

07:25 – Why one caring adult changes everything

09:00 – How volunteers can support and get involved

10:10 – What a typical birthday party looks like

11:50 – Different volunteer roles and personality fits

13:40 – Easy on-ramps to mentoring

15:00 – The message every child needs to hear

16:25 – How centers partner with We Love Birthday Parties

18:00 – Kids in deep poverty & the need for expanding the mission

19:40 – The “unseen mission” of birthday boxes

21:00 – What’s inside a birthday box & why it matters

22:40 – The impact on parents and family bonding

24:20 – Stories of healing and dignity

25:45 – How donations directly support families

28:00 – Why booking the event space fuels the mission

29:30 – The win-win of community rentals

31:00 – The essential emotional need only this mission fills

32:30 – Final encouragement & invitation to take a step

33:20 – Bonus: Why Part 2 is worth your time