THE PETER PAN CHILDREN’S FUND AND THE PETER PAN BIRTHDAY CLUB WILL SCALE DOWN NATIONAL OPERATIONS IN 2018 AFTER 25 YEARS OF CELEBRATING YOUTH PHILANTHROPY
April 7, 1992, Julia Hart celebrated her 10th birthday and inspired the beginnings of the Peter Pan Birthday Club. During the Royal Premiere of Hook in London, Julia toured the Great Ormond St. Hospital for Children where J.M. Barrie donated the rights to Peter Pan forever to support children’s health care.
Julia was so moved by the experience she decided to ask for donations instead of birthday presents to give to children’s hospitals and the Peter Pan Birthday Club was born. Julia’s first donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital of $1,000 sparked a movement in youth philanthropy.
The first official Peter Pan Birthday Club was founded at Cook Children’s Hospital in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1998. The Peter Pan Children’s Fund initial contribution was over $50,000, followed by PPCF donations totaling over 100k as the club got off the ground.
20 years later, Cook reports that in 2017 alone the club had 751 members who have raised contributions instead of gifts on their birthdays. This does not include the number of party attendees who have supported the PPBC with their donations which is estimated to be in excess of 10,000 young philanthropists in just one hospital.
The Cook flagship PPBC inspired other children’s hospitals and children’s health initiatives to celebrate birthdays “The Peter Pan Way” for 20 years and counting
Over 100 children’s hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, Israel and New Zealand have received donations for PPBC celebrations since its inception. Outstanding ongoing PPBC giving include Cook Children’s Hospital in Texas, American Family Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin, United Regional in Wichita Falls, Texas, Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Tennessee, Dallas Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Flagler Healthcare Foundation in Florida, to name a few.
The Las Vegas Chapter of the Peter Pan Birthday Club has brought together 5 children’s health charities including the Ronald MacDonald House, Candlelighters, The Children’s Heart Fund, Miracle Flights, and CASA.
PPBC endowments have been established at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Dallas Children’s Medical Center.
The Second Star to the Right Award, which is given each year to outstanding young philanthropists around the country, also includes Cathy Rigby, the PPCF National spokesperson, Children’s book Author Filmmaker, William Joyce, the rock legend David Crosby, and Broadway superstar, Betty Buckley.
Beginning in 2018, the PPCF will convert to virtual operations. The Website and Facebook pages with be maintained; and we encourage our participating hospitals and Birthday Clubbers to continue to share your celebrations and pictures with the global community inspiring others to celebrate their birthdays “the Peter Pan way.”
The PPCF will continue to contribute $100 to a registered birthday clubber’s hospital of choice until April 1, 2018.
We thank all of our supporters and donors, and especially the hundreds of young philanthropists around the country and the world, and the hundreds of family and friends who attended a PPBC celebration and contributed to children’s health care over 25 years.
We leave you with this thought, we are here to take care of the planet and each other. Our children are the future and their health and happiness are necessary to secure that future.
