Meet Holly, the Heart of the Project
Holly is 11 years old, full of heart, and bursting with curiosity. She loves being outdoors, no matter the season … uilding castles in the sandbox or at the beach, riding her bike, scooter, skateboard, or plasma car, swinging in the backyard (with an occasional launch off the swing to see how far she can fly), and exploring tidepools at the beach in her wetsuit and rubber boots year round. Holly plays with her sister, dolls, and cars, and she treasures every bit of leisure time, whether it’s a frigid -30C winter or a scorching 30C summer.
She is opinionated, a clever problem-solver, and a skilled negotiator. When our family moves, as all military families do, she dives right into new schools. Holly is always excited to make friends, figure out which EAs will let her linger outside past the bell, and discover her new best buddy. Holly just happens to have Down syndrome, which comes with challenges. She knows what it feels like to miss out on birthday parties, or not have friends available to celebrate hers.
And that’s exactly why Birthday Sidekick exists. This is Holly’s idea. Holly’s project. Her family supports her every step of the way, but she drives it. Her experiences, her empathy, and her excitement are the heart of this initiative, aiming to bring joy, connection, and kindness to children across Canada who might otherwise feel overlooked on their special day. So that’s why we’re so excited to launch her project out into the world!
How We Launch Birthday Magic Into the World
Every child deserves to feel special on their birthday. But too often, kids face loneliness, isolation, big life transitions, or mental health struggles that make their special day harder to celebrate. Holly saw that a birthday card, something so simple and personal, could become a powerful reminder that a child is seen, valued, and celebrated.
We wanted to share with kids close to home, so we’re keeping our reach within Canada. It’s practical (keeping postage low) but it’s also personal: helping our neighbours first feels like the right place to begin.
What You Can Expect
When you nominate a child, our small but mighty family team will do our very best to send a card in time for their big day. Each card carries a simple, handwritten message inside and is signed by Holly and Abby whenever possible (with a grown-up lending a hand if the birthdays pile up close together).
We can’t promise we’ll reach every child yet. After all, this is still a small family project, driven by a child’s desire to share her love of birthdays, but we can promise that every card sent is filled with love, care, and the intention to make birthdays brighter.
Perfect Day for a Launch Party
If we have pizza for supper (another of Holly’s favourites) while we watch a movie, and then play outside before bedtime routines begin, does that count as a launch party? I don’t know about anyone else, but it counts in our house!
The cards and stamps are bought, our pens are ready, and Holly’s kindness mission is officially live! You can now head over to our Nominate page and tell us about a child who could use an extra smile on their birthday. Whether they’re facing tough challenges or just need a reminder that they matter, we’d love to celebrate them.
This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see the ripple effects of joy, kindness, and connection spread across Canada.
It might not be the launch party of the century (or even of the month), but
Join the Adventure
This isn’t just our project – it’s a community effort, and you’re invited to be part of it. Share Birthday Sidekick with friends and family. Nominate a child who deserves to be celebrated. Cheer us on from the sidelines. Every small act helps us grow and reach more kids. Help us make this launch successful!
Together, we can make birthdays brighter, one card at a time.
