MIAMI AND HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The Miami Rescue Mission & Broward Outreach Centers on all campuses in Miami-Dade and Broward County showered homeless guests with special attention that some have not received in years. Most came to the celebration in need of food and left knowing they are not forgotten.

With birthday decorations, special gifts, games, prizes, individual cupcakes with a candle in them and music, more than 1,000 homeless and hungry men, women and children had the opportunity to celebrate at the annual Bombastic Birthday Party.

The event serves as a celebration of the birthdays of all those who have had a forgotten or unnoticed birthday due to homelessness or other stressful life-situations.

Gifts for the women were clothes, purses, hygiene bags and some campuses even had perfume to give out. The men had T-shirts and specialty items. In Miami, volunteer Nitza Bello provided more than 700 cupcakes for the guests.

The birthday lunch was sponsored by St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral and Dr. Limon Ceviche Bar.

The cafeteria was decorated with streamers, balloons, and party hats along with birthday cards handmade by volunteers and children from various schools in the community.

Every round of meals handed out was initiated with the singing of Happy Birthday, fol lowed by guests blowing out their candles.

“I am humbled,” volunteer Mary stated, as a result being part of the event. Alan, an attendee said, “I have been homeless for months and today made me really feel special.”

On the Hollywood campuses, a birthday lunch provided by Chick-fil-A was served in the cafeteria decorated to honor all the birthday celebrants, along with a DJ and the Chick-Fil-A cow.

The celebration sponsored by Jude and Christine Hodges of Chick-Fil-A featured music and dancing, donated gifts, and birthday cards made by children from various schools in the community.

Gifts for men, women, and children were gifted by Keolis Transit America through Johnathan Javier. Volunteer Jeffrey, stated “I had a blast watching the residents play games and enjoy a special birthday party” as a result of participating in today’s Since 1922 the Miami Rescue Mission / Broward Outreach Centers (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) has served homeless and needy men, women, and children of South Florida.

The organization provides food, shelter, clothing, education, job training, spiritual direction, health services, youth programs, housing, and long-term rehabilitation programs in Miami and Hollywood to nearly 1,000 homeless on a daily basis, with Christian compassion and encouragement.