HPLM collecting birthday gifts, party items for local foster kids

        Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is collecting gifts and birthday items to give local kids in foster or kinship care for birthday celebrations, in conjunction with the wrap-up of President Hayes’ 200th Birthday Celebration.
        Hayes Presidential is partnering with Giving Birthdays, a registered non-profit organization that serves Sandusky and Wood counties, to collect birthday gifts, birthday candles, banners, plates, napkins, cake mix, frosting and other party items throughout October. Visitors who bring an item or multiple items receive $1 off admission.
        Giving Birthdays will take the items collected and create a birthday celebration customized to each child’s needs, career interests and wishes.
        Giving Birthdays works directly with Sandusky County Children Services and Wood County Children Services to get the list of youth, their ages, wants and needs. It then works with sponsors to fill those needs.
        After it collects the items, Giving Birthdays adds birthday cards and delivers them to Children Services. Caseworkers then take the celebrations to the kids and their caregivers during their monthly visits.
        Requested donations include:
        • Toys and gifts, such as craft kits, LEGOs, books, bath items, blankets, stuffed animals, sensory toys, makeup, headphones, cologne/perfume, board games, scooters, skateboards and fast food gift cards.
        • Cake mixes, frosting, sprinkles and candles.
        • Birthday banners
        • Storage containers
        • Birthday napkins and plates.
        This is the second year that the Hayes Presidential has partnered with Giving Birthdays on this project.
        Hayes Presidential, America’s first presidential library and the forerunner of the federal presidential library system, is located at Spiegel Grove at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues.
        For information, call 419-332-2081, visit rbhayes.org, like Hayes Presidential on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram at @rbhayespres.