Gabrielle Goodson has reenergized the A-SPAN "Sponsor a Birthday" program. The program allows volunteers to sign up for providing birthday gifts to A-SPAN's clients in permanent supportive housing.
Kathy Sibert, president/CEO of A-SPAN said, "The A-SPAN client Advisory Board for our Board of Directors made this suggestion because many of our clients receive nothing on their birthday."
Goodson says A-SPAN has roughly 100 clients on their birthday list, so when a volunteer says they are interested in providing a gift, she sends the volunteer two months’ worth of dates to choose from. Once the volunteer picks what works best for them, Goodson contacts the client’s case manager to get a birthday wish list. She says they have nine birthdays in August and six in September. "Typically the client would probably include household items or gift cards."
Since Goodson has started advertising the birthday wish program recently, she says there has been much support from volunteers. Anyone interested in participating may contact Gabrielle Goodson at ggoodson@a-span.org. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at the Homeless Services Center at 2020A 14th Street N.