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Dec. 6, 2024–Dec. 6, 2025
As part of our 100th birthday celebration, we’re inviting you to help us help others. Throughout the year, we’re collecting donations of shelf-stable birthday cake ingredients, which will be distributed via local food pantries. It’s a small movement with a big payoff: spreading joy to all kids on their birthdays.
The need
About 57,000 children in Marion County alone face food insecurity, which can affect their physical and emotional health. To help address this, The Children’s Museum is collecting shelf-stable birthday cake ingredients that will be distributed via area food pantries throughout 2025. It’s one small way we can raise awareness about the impacts of food insecurity—and give all children and families joy on their birthdays.
How you can help
Beginning Dec. 6, 2024 (our birthday), you can bring these nonperishable items to the Welcome Center and our generous partners will help us distribute birthday cakes through local food pantries:
- Boxes of vanilla or chocolate cake mix
- 16 oz. containers of icing (any flavor)
- Birthday candles
We'll be collecting these items all year long, with the final batch of cakes to be delivered on Dec. 6, 2025—our 100th birthday!
Partners
We’ve partnered with Kroger, Gleaners, and the Mid-North Food Pantry on one sweet initiative. Once packaged together, these shelf-stable birthday cake kits will be distributed via Gleaners and the Mid-North Food Pantry. Together, we’re helping Hoosiers in need of food assistance and ensuring all kids can experience a “pop” of joy on their birthdays.
