Churches Unite to Assemble and Donate “Birthday Bags”
By Jenny Mathis
Who doesn’t want cake on their birthday?
For many children, it’s “in the bag.” But for some, birthday cake is a luxury that they go without.
That’s where St. Rita in the Desert Conference, The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, and St. Augustine Cathedral come in. They joined efforts to do as Jesus Christ would do: love and serve others.
Susan Bois, president of the St. Rita in the Desert Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and Carol Langford, communications director for the Tucson Arizona Rincon Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ, have a longstanding friendship.
Bois and Langford determined that St. Rita’s and St. Augustine—who provide food to local families and individuals in need—could use Birthday Bags for children, and operation Birthday Bags ensued.
Collecting birthday supplies and decorating bags provided a perfect service opportunity for children of the local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ. Members of the Church donated cake mixes, frosting, and candles, and children decorated and assembled the bags.
Jim Bungert, a member of the St. Augustine Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, said the recipients love the drawings on the bags, “The kids feel like it’s special to them.”
May 12, 2022, was the third time the churches combined efforts to collect birthday bags. In all, 350 bags were prepped for gifting this time.
President Lan Allen from the Rincon Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ is excited and optimistic about churches collaborating to provide service in the community. “It’s going to be how we operate going forward,” he says, “I think it’s essential, at this point, with groups wanting to divide and wanting to isolate. It’s long overdue.”
President Allen explains that much of the collaboration among churches started because of the Vail School District’s Interfaith Council.
Bois said St. Rita’s will have no problem giving the bags to children from all different faith backgrounds. “It doesn’t make any difference who they are, what they do or don’t believe,” she says.
Bois adds that she is grateful to partner with other churches to help those in need. “We’re all on the same mission of helping people. We’re grateful for everything that everybody does.”
Children who may not otherwise have cake on their birthday will now enjoy the efforts of churches partnering to show love.
And that’s the icing on the cake.
About the author
Jenny Mathis is a professional writer and editor who studied journalism at BYU. She is a local stake communication specialist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and resides in Tucson with her husband and children.
