Anika Apollon is the founder of Birthday Wonders.
By Michael Brooke
Anika Apollon is the founder of a remarkable charity that started up during the 2020 pandemic. While working full-time at her job as a funeral director, Anika started to think about how to help children in need — especially those who are with their families in shelters. Anika has had a first-hand understanding of the financial barriers single-parent-women face. “It made me think more about the effects these barriers have on children experiencing poverty and homelessness.” As she explains, “being a young mom, in school full-time while raising my children really opened my eyes to the other side. During my time of adversity, all I could think about were the things I wanted to give to my kids but I couldn’t.”
While the essentials like rent, food and clothing came first, Anika thought about the emotional well-being of children. “We all know that a child’s birthday is truly a special occasion, but for those kids in the shelter system, it can be a real challenge for a family to celebrate this time” says Anika. This is where Birthday Wonders comes into the picture. The charity provides a delightful birthday party for families who may not have the financial wear with all to put something together.
There are a number of critical challenges that a parent and their child or children face in the shelter system. Sometimes, a shelter does not have enough space to accommodate a parent and child. Quite often, a family is unable to find a home in a short amount of time and now has to stay in the shelter for an extended period. Anika also points out that residents at a shelter are unable to disclose to friends and family where they are currently living due to safety precautions that the shelter must take and caregivers must follow. Above all, it can become very uncomfortable for the caregiver and child living in a shelter because it’s not their own personal home. They have to share the space with other families that are in need.
COVID-19 had a huge impact on Birthday Wonders. “The biggest challenge we faced was not being able to provide a birthday party due to the lockdown mandates” explains Anika. “Sadly, the global pandemic displaced thousands of people in hundreds of communities, forcing them to turn to local shelters for a host of reasons. This meant hundreds of kids were missing their birthday which in turn created ever more collateral damage from COVID-19.”
Anika was determined to show these children that they were not forgotten. “I was relentless. We changed our program from celebrating in local indoor and outdoor venues to a contactless delivery method. We deliver the birthday box, cake, balloons, and food all at the front door. The shelter caseworker will then facilitate the party with the children participating.” The birthday box has been an enormous hit with the children. “I was surprised as to just how happy the children were when they received this box. These simple boxes have been a powerful tool to show them that they matter and they are special.”
When a child experiences Birthday Wonders, they walk into a room already prepared with table decoration, a personalized birthday cake, loot bags for all their friends attending the party, and a Birthday Wonders box filled with surprise gifts. The amount of gratitude and joy these experiences have generated has fueled Anika’s vision. There are countless magical moments including the time when a young boy asked for a remote-control car. This simple request prompted him to say “thank you for making my dreams come true.”
Anika acknowledges that some people may say “well they are homeless, they need a home, they need money.” Anika has a message to those people: celebrating your birthday is a basic necessity of life. It is your special day, the day you were born, and a day you will never forget”
As word spreads on the terrific work that Birthday Wonders is accomplishing, Anika is thinking about the future. “We would like to collaborate with organizations that value all good things for kids. We don’t only provide birthday celebrations — we also provide basic necessities of life such as winter gear, shoes, and clothing. We also provide experiences such as tickets to a sporting event, the zoo and the museum.”
Anika is hoping that awareness of Birthday Wonders grows and that she is able to delight more children on their special day. For more information, please visit birthdaywonders.ca
Michael Brooke is a Toronto-based freelance writer and founder of Time For My Story, a service helping individuals document their legacy in the form of a professional memoir.
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