Noah is smiling – he turned 7 at his birthday, got a Kindle, and Smile Train got $250!

Posted: January 7, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Birthday Gifts, Charity, ECHOage Birthday Parties, Gifts, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Noah turned 7!

Noah lives in Boise, Idaho.  This year he wanted his birthday party to be much more than a fabulous celebration. Noah chose to give half of the funds raised at his party to Smile Train, a charity that provides free cleft surgery to hundreds of thousands of children in developing countries.  Some kids cannot eat, or speak properly.  Some kids face very difficult lives filled with shame, isolation, pain and heartache.  The good news is every single child with a cleft can be helped with surgery that costs as little as $250. Seven year old Noah has now changed the life of a little child needing cleft surgery.

Not a surprise, Noah’s parents are extremely proud of him.  He bought a Kindle for his birthday present, so he can read even more, and he made it possible for a child to smile again. Noah, there are many others who are very proud of you today.  Everyone at ECHOage is smiling for you, too.

Smile Train

For her birthday, Kira got a Best Buy gift card and Cancer Free Kids got $205!

Posted: November 16, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Birthday Gifts, Charity, ECHOage Birthday Parties, Gifts, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kira’s 10th Birthday

Meet Kira who turned 10 doing what she loves.  Kira chose to support Cancer Free Kids because she is part of the Kindness and Caring Club at her school and she is always looking for new ways to help others.  Cancer Free Kids is working everyday to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children by funding promising research that might otherwise go unfunded.
Kira chose her birthday gifts – Best Buy gift cards – because she really loves playing on her iTouch and her Nintendo DS, and now she can get more games.

Kira’s mom Ali had this to share about her special daughter:
“Kira has a heart for children who are ill and she wanted to help in any way she could. I love ECHOage because it is an excellent opportunity to open a child’s eyes to the bigger world. It helps them understand that there are people that need our help and this reiterates to her how blessed she is.  My daughter really wants to help others in need, and this was another great opportunity to share her love for people!”

Happy Birthday Kira from everyone at ECHOage who is watching you lead the way. 

Friends help friends through a birthday party. Autism Speaks got $265. Paloma and Ariana got a new Swing Set!

Posted: October 23, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Birthday Gifts, Charity, ECHOage Birthday Parties, Gifts, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Paloma and Ariana

It is easy to help a friend in need, even when you are only 3! Just ask these twins, Paloma and Ariana, and their wonderful mom, Tara.  They have a friend, a boy, with moderate to severe Autism.  He has been receiving therapy and support and has made so much progress. “He is such an amazing, happy, sweet child.” says Tara. “We wanted to give back in any way we could and hoped that other children with Autism will receive the help and support our friend did. So we chose Autism Speaks Canada.”  Tara also felt a swing set would be a great gift for her girls: “We thought it would be the perfect gift since it will last for many years and also be used by the friends who helped our girls get it for their birthday,” added Tara.  We usually congratulate children on our blog, and their incredible impact, but today we thank you, Tara.  Your words are ever lasting.

Brilliant Birthday Boy – A Lego Hogwarts Castle for Ethan, and $165.00 for Make-A-Wish.

Posted: September 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Charity, ECHOage Birthday Parties, Gifts, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Nothing beats feeling proud of yourself, especially for children.  Ethan turned 6 and made sure that other children would benefit from his birthday. He spent a long time looking through the list of 120 charities and schools on the ECHOage site, and insisted on Make-A-Wish Foundation. His mom told us that: “Ethan feels badly that some kids are so busy going to doctors appointments,” and he wanted to raise funds to buy something for them to play with while in hospital. Ethan’s contribution will help buy fantastic toys for children in hospitals. Ethan LOVES Harry Potter, and he has wanted the big Lego Hogwarts Castle for some time.  What an amazing boy you are Ethan!  Turning 6, celebrating, giving, and doing what you love.  Everyone at ECHOage is smiling today because of you.

The Triple Crown Birthday Party – Horseback riding lessons, saving animals and a love of nature.

Posted: September 4, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Charity, ECHOage Birthday Parties, Gifts, Stories about children, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

After spending a summer getting to meet and see lots of different animals at camp, through her travels with her family and many visits to the Zoo, Isabel felt really strongly about wanting to help animals. “I love animals and I wanted to help them so they don’t disappear”

For her 7th birthday, Isabel will be getting Riding Lessons and WWF will be getting $215.  We can’t think of a better gift for Isabel to get from all of her friends.

Isabel starts horseback riding lessons for the fall next week. She fell in love with riding while away with her family in Banff National Park this summer (seeing lots of animals – bears, elk, deer, mountain goats).  She is most excited about “learning how to take care of a horse and brushing it”

Happy 7th birthday Isabel. 

For her birthday, Grace got new headphones and The Children’s Oncology Camping Association got $385.00!

Posted: August 15, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: ECHOage Birthday Parties, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Grace got Beats by Dre for her Birthday

Grace is from Deerfield, Illinois. She just turned 8. She celebrated her birthday with all her friends who got to watch a fabulous magic show. Her favorite part of the party was watching the magician put needles in a balloon! In this photo she is holding up her ECHOage award. Grace raised $385.00 for The Children’s Oncology Camping Association, International AND got Beats By Dre Headphones for herself. She chose to support COCA-I because she likes camp and she wanted children who have cancer to get the chance to go to camp, too. Grace, we all want to follow in your footsteps. Everyone at ECHOage wishes Grace a very happy 8th birthday. We can’t wait to see what Grace does when she turns 9…

For his birthday, Grant got an Itouch. Kids In Distressed Situations got $207.50.

Posted: August 1, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: ECHOage Birthday Parties, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment


Grant turned 6 at his Lazer Quest birthday party this summer. He is from Midlothian, Virginia and he knows how to celebrate. He chose to get an Itouch because: “I don’t have any of my own electronics. I usually have to borrow my Mom or my Dad’s.” He chose to support Kids In Distressed Situations because: “there are kids with little food, and little water, and not even a place to sleep.”

Everyone at ECHOage wishes Grant a very big Happy 6th Birthday! Grant, we feel you are a true example of the words we live by: you’re never too small to make a big impact.

For their birthday, Justin got Bey Blades and Nathan got Spy Toys. Nourish America got $172.12.

Posted: July 25, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: ECHOage Birthday Parties, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Laser Tag and ECHOage in Leesburg, Virginia

Twin brothers know how to make the most of their birthday. When Justin and Nathan turned 7 this year they got the birthday gifts they really wanted. Justin wanted Beyblades so he could have beyblade battles with his Dad. Nathan wanted spy toys because he is training to be a spy. The boys wanted all their friends to come and play laser tag with them, too! And because they used ECHOage, the boys raised over $170.00 for Nourish America making a big impact, at such a young age. “We wanted to help people,” said the brothers. Moms and Dads, we know what you are thinking: Is it really that easy? Can kids really get to choose fantastic birthday gifts for themselves AND give funds away to children in need? Yes. It is. Try ECHOage with your kids and tell us how easy it was for them, too.

Birthday Presents That Last

Posted: July 23, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: ECHOage Birthday Parties, Stories about children | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Let’s face it, birthday parties are all about celebrating: a brand new age, a brand new year ahead – and for kids who choose to ECHOage their birthday, brand new special gifts they have been dreaming about all year long.

It gives us great pleasure to see the outcome of pooled resources and the wide selection of gifts kids of all ages are getting when they ECHOage their birthday party.

If you were ever concerned about how your child might react to getting one, two or three really special gifts instead of 20 not-so-special gifts, try these on for size and see if it makes your special little birthday bunny say, bring it on!

Drool-Worthy Birthday Gifts Chosen by Kids Having ECHOage Birthday Parties.
A camera, a scooter, art supplies, a basketball net, a bicycle, books, bubble machine, dance camp, Easy Bake Oven, an education, first bank account, globe, hamster, hockey jersey, an Ipad, Ipod, Itouch, Leapsgter games,Logo, money for a rainy day, Playmobil toys, pogo stick, power rangers, puppy, running shoes, riding lessons, rollerblades, room décor, skateboard, Star Wars toys, telephone, trampoline, tree house, tricycle, video games and much, much, more.

So what do we say about birthday gifts? We say, wrap ‘em up and give them with love, as a gift given from ALL of your friends is sure to last!