For John and Amy, birthdays have always been a big deal-a welcome excuse to celebrate life.
When their son, Alex, 36 three in 2005, they invited 20 friends to a nearby park. Not long after that the 37 were brainstorming ways to teach Alex about giving to 38 . “We wanted to do something that would have a(an) 39 on our community, and that our young child could 40 in. We started wondering what 41 fortunate kids do on their birthdays. The next day, we called a local shelter, and learnt that 42 children typically didn’t do 43 to celebrate at all. No cake. No gifts. No party.” The couple said.
Several weeks later, 44 held a party at the 45 for the children who had birthdays that month. They decorated, served cake, and danced with 50 kids. Alex helped to 46 presents.
47 that first party, the couple have turned their simple idea_ 48 Birthday Blessings, a nonprofit that hosts monthly parties at 10 shelters.
To date, Birthday Blessings (birthdayblessings.org.) has thrown more than 500 49 at different shelters and handed out 22, 000 party 50 to nearly 4000 homeless children in and around their community.
Birthday Blessings is 51 entirely by volunteers. The charity(慈善)will take almost anything—toys, clothing, candy, baby items— 52 it’s not used. “These kids never get anything new.” John said, “It makes a big 53 to them psychologically.”
Being “part of this labor love” is 54 making an impression on their son Alex. On his seventh birthday, his grandparents sent a check. 55 it, the first thing he said was that he wanted to give half to the birthday kids.
A.turned B.grew C.came D.got
A.shelter B.neighbors C.friends D.couple
A.the other B.another C.others D.each other
A.impression B.influence C.permission D.description
A.participate B.guide C.bring D.move
A.fairly B.less C.rather D.more
A.penniless B.jobless C.homeless D.hopeless
A.nothing B.anything C.everything D.something
A.Alex B.John C.Amy D.the family
A.shelter B.church C.school D.community
A.make out B.hand out C.show out D.leave out
A.Before B.Until C.After D.Since
A.into B.down C.out D.off
A.birthdays B.parties C.presents D.donations
A.cakes B.honors C.gifts D.surprises
A.continued B.analyzed C.operated D.instructed
A.as far as B.as soon as C.as simple as D.as long as
A.difference B.surprise C.benefit D.advantage
A.never B.always C.hardly D.already
A.Folding B.Saving C.Unfolding D.Realizing