It’s rare to find a soon-to-be six-year-old who says they don’t need any more toys, but Elizabeth Muldoon has a different idea for her birthday.
For Muldoon’s upcoming birthday party, the girl has asked her friends to not send her gifts or presents.
Instead, Muldoon wants them to give to others – specifically, to donate food items to the Lord’s Bounty Food Bank.
“I want to do food for the food bank and people who don’t have food,” said Elizabeth.
“I already have a lot of toys,” she said.
Elizabeth came up with the idea herself, after noticing some older kids who raised food for the Flin Flon/Creighton and Area SPCA.
Candice Muldoon, Elizabeth’s mother, said the family themselves had never used the food bank, but is proud her daughter has chosen to help her community.
“We’re very lucky. We’re not rich, but we’re definitely in a very good place. I like to teach my children about giving and karma – what goes around, comes around. We had listening ears,” she said.
Candice gets emotional when talking about her daughter’s decision.
“Mom cries about it,” said Elizabeth with a smile.
“She likes to tell people that she’s made me cry every time it’s brought up,” admits Candice, reaching for a tissue.
After Elizabeth told her mom and dad about her plan, Candice said the family was supportive, but wanted to make sure their daughter knew what she was getting into.
“We discussed this with her and she brought this up on her own. She is only turning six, so we wanted to make sure she understood completely what she was committing to,” she said.
“She is excited. She doesn’t think people should go without food for Christmas. We’re big believers in giving and baking around Christmas. I’m floored.”
On the invitations for Elizabeth’s birthday party, she asks for donations of non-perishable food items. Other items, including Christmas baking, would still be accepted, even if they can’t be accepted at the food bank.
“If they don’t take it, we’ll find a family that could definitely use it this year,” said Candice.
The party is on Dec. 16, three days before Elizabeth’s birthday on Dec. 19. Elizabeth plans to personally donate the items raised through her campaign on her birthday.
“I’m going to be pulling her from class that morning so she can go in directly,” said Candice. “She’s never been in a food bank or a soup kitchen before, so I think her dropping off what she collected will definitely inspire her further down the line.”
“I don’t think she quite understands, in great detail, what it is yet. Maybe in the future or maybe on her actual birthday when she drops it off, she’ll see what it really means.”
Elizabeth already has a similar idea planned for her seventh birthday next December.
“Next year, on my next birthday, I think I’m going to raise food for the SPCA,” she said.
