Miles for Smiles Activity Challenge 2025
May 16-May 30, 2025
$25Raised of $36,000
The Miles for Smiles Activity Challenge – Each Step You Take Can Help Make A Birthday Dream Come True!
As a participant in Birthday Dreams’ virtual MILES FOR SMILES Activity Challenge, you can raise the spirits of the homeless children we serve and inspire hope of a brighter future.
All fitness counts: biking, hiking, swimming, walking, running.
With your participation in our virtual Activity Challenge, every step you take turns frowns into magical smiles!
Funds raised from this event directly supports Birthday Dreams’ mission to bring hope, joy, and a sense of self-worth by providing children experiencing homelessness with the gift of a birthday celebration.
How It Works
1. Click "Register" at the top of the page
Team Captains: Click 'Register' and then 'Create a Team'
Team Members & Individuals: Click 'Register' and then 'Join a Team' to find your team or click "Fundraise on my Own"
2. Estimate how many miles you’ll run, walk, bike, swim, ski, and/or hike from May 16th to May 30th. Whether it's 10, 50, or 500 miles, there's no amount too big or small.
3. Reach out to friends and family to ask if they’ll support your efforts by donating to you! They can make a pledge per mile or donate a flat amount to your efforts.
4. Log your miles daily by connecting your Strava account or log them manually directly through the email reminders you receive.
5. Keep an eye on the community tab to see how and what others are doing to support Birthday Dreams.
Miles for Smiles Activity Challenge - Promotional Video
Swag Bags, Prizes, and Extras
Get your Miles for Smiles T-shirt
As a participant in Miles for Smiles, you have the option to order a t-shirt! Get a shirt for your entire team. T-shirt sizes are limited, first come first served.
You can pick up your t-shirts at our Renton Administrative Office (next to Highland Dental Office) located at:
1082 Kirkland Ave NE, Suite A, Renton, WA 98056
Mark your calendars for:
• Thursday, May 15th from 10am – 5pm
• Friday, May 16th from 10am – 5pm
Just stop in at our location and pick up your shirts. If you cannot pick your shirt up, we can potentially ship it to you for a charge (postage & service fees), with notice. Please contact us at: events@birthdaydreams.org.
WHO IS THE TOP FUNDRAISER? WINNERS GET PRIZES*!
* = The types of prizes for Top Individual and Team fundraisers will be announced the week of June 2nd!
Photo Scavenger Hunt
On Thursday, May 15th we will announce the photo scavenger hunt item list.
This is not a required activity, just a little extra fun.
To participate, while you are out walking, take pictures of the items that you see on the list and upload those photos to your individual or team page.
Special prizes will be awarded to the individual and team (of 5 people or less) who finds/photographs/uploads the most items!
So, keep your eyes open for the scavenger hunt item list when we send it out on May 15th.
Birthday Dreams - What We DO
Our History
In 2009, two moms who volunteered together began looking for ways to do more for the community. Chris Spahn and Shannon Avery saw a need that no other local organization was filling and thus Birthday Dreams was born.
Founded on the principle that children who are experiencing homelessness need a reason to keep going every day, need a day where they can forget about their situation, have fun, be honored, and reminded that their community cares about them. Since our founding and through partnerships that have grown to over 80 shelters and agencies in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, we have provided birthday celebrations to over 15,000 children who would not otherwise have one. 15 years and 15,000 smiles, now that is a milestone that we're proud of!
These parties include everything-gifts, cake, tableware, party hats, goodie bags, balloons, juice, and games. Our dedicated staff and network of passionate volunteers create, bake, assemble and hand-deliver a Birthday-In-A-Box for every request.
What We Do!
We help homeless children celebrate their birthdays in 3 ways:
•Birthday-in-a-Box
•Onsite HOSTED Group Birthday Parties
•Onsite NON-HOSTED Group Birthday Parties
Birthday Dreams provides the birthday items –but steps back to make sure that the PARENTS are the ones seen as the heroes by their children!
From the humble beginnings in our founders’ garages, to celebrating our 15,000th birthday child last year, our goal has been consistent: we want to celebrate as the birthdays of as many homeless children as we can, each year.
With the help of our dedicated staff, army of volunteers, and generous donors like YOU, our goal is to ensure every homeless child is celebrated on their birthday.
Donations
THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING SPONSORS!
