Story

In March of 2011, Beverly’s Birthdays founder, Megan Yunn “Megs”, was volunteering at a local afterschool program and was helping a young girl named Beverly complete her homework. Beverly was asked to use the word “accustomed to” in a sentence. Trying to provide her with an example of how to use the word, Megs said “Beverly, at birthday party’s people are accustomed to eating what?” Beverly responded, “I have never had a birthday party or a birthday cake.” 

At 12 years old Beverly had never had a birthday party of her own. Inspired by Beverly’s story, Megs decided to start an organization that provides birthday celebrations for homeless youth in the Pittsburgh Region. In June of 2011, Megs submitted her idea to the “BE BIG in Your Community Contest,” a signature component of the ongoing Clifford The Big Red Dog® BE BIG!™ campaign sponsored by American Family Insurance.

The national contest invited participants to submit a BIG idea that demonstrates Clifford’s Big Ideas (Share, Help Others, Be Kind, Be Responsible, Play Fair, Be a Good Friend, Believe in Yourself, Have Respect, Work Together and Be Truthful) for a chance to win a community grant to be used toward implementing the winning proposals.

As a first place winner, selected out of over 1,000 entries in the nation, Megs has been working closely with Scholastic Media, generationOn, the youth division of Points of Light Institute, which is the largest volunteer network in the nation, in order to make Beverly’s Birthdays a reality.