10 Pounds of Love in a 5-Pound Box

Every child has heard it, and every mother has said it. When the kids complain that they didn't get enough presents, it's time to bust out the familiar, "Do you know there are children out there who don't get anything on their birthday?"

Christa Nielsen was in the middle of uttering that time-tested adage when the meaning behind those words stopped her in her tracks.

"I thought to myself, 'Why not help those kids have something on their birthday?'" said Nielsen.

Within days, Nielsen and her daughters Jonna and Eva had come up with the idea of Operation Birthday Box. Nielsen takes $10 to the local dollar store, gets as many gifts as possible, and she and her daughters put them in a shoebox and wrap it for needy children. She suggested the idea to representatives at A Woman's Place and the Bucks County Housing Group, who immediately took her up on the offer. Christ's Home in Warminster has also been added to the list of charities benefited by Operation Birthday Box.

"We at Bucks County Housing Group are honored to be part of Operation Birthday Box from the start and encourage participation in this effort," said Development Officer Melissa Mantz in a statement. "Children of all ages can participate and share with a child who does not have as many birthday options as so many of the children in Bucks County."

"It's been literally days, and it's taken on a life of its own," Nielsen said. "At first I was going to just help out the Bensalem shelter, but the first couple boxes were such a success that they want me to do all five locations."

With names that sadly take up more than five pages, Nielsen can't fill the boxes on her own. She is on the lookout for donations and sponsors that can keep the promise fulfilled. When someone becomes a sponsor, he or she will be given a box and the name and age of a child. After getting filled with age-appropriate gifts, the box is returned to Nielsen, who inspects and wraps it. When enough donations are collected for the month, they will be taken to the Bucks County Housing Group, which will then distribute them amongst the shelters in Bensalem, Doylestown, Penndel, Morrisville and Milford Square. 

Nielsen appreciates any help she can get, but is especially interested in long-term assistance.

"Any donation is welcome," said Nielsen, "but I need people that can help me every month. I can't have the first of each month feel like a brand new charity."

Her efforts received a big boost when Glenda Childs, the owner of the Doylestown Bookshop, signed on with a pledge for one free book for every box. Since purchasing the store last May, Childs had been searching for just the right charity to join.

"It's the perfect fit for us," said Childs. "I've done literacy support for schools in the inner city, and a lot of those kids don't have any books at home. I tell my staff to look for that one book they think a child would want to read over and over. They are really excited to find a great book."

Nielsen also received a donation of empty shoeboxes from DSW, and Town Crier Bakery in Peddler's Vilage has signed on to pack a sampling of homemade cookies in every box.