Significant help and resources are usually available for those in the community who need assistance at Christmas time, which are a tremendous blessing. The Langley Christmas Bureau, for example, ensures that no family with young children are in need at Christmas time. However, for the rest of the year there is little or no help for any ‘extras’ like a new toy for a child’s birthday.

The Langley District Help Network addresses that issue with the Birthday Closet, where parents of children 12 years and younger are able to pick a new gift, and also receive a birthday cake.

In 2011, over 200 children received new birthday gifts for their birthdays from the Birthday closet! Parents are very grateful for the birthday closet. At one point we happened to have a ‘Dora the Explorer’ cake to match a gift. Another time, a grandmother with custody of her grandchild got tears in her eyes because she found the perfect gift.