Wade Lairsen, 2022 Presidential Leadership Scholar and CEO of The Birthday Party Project, discusses his passion for creating joy that changes people's lives and the lessons he learned in the Presidential Leadership Scholar Program.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your personal leadership project.
I’m Wade Lairsen – currently CEO of an incredible organization called The Birthday Party Project. We believe that every child deserves to feel seen, known, and celebrated – especially on their birthday. An estimated 2.5 million children are currently experiencing homelessness in the United States and may miss out on a birthday celebration. We’ve made it our mission to change that.
Thanks to an army of over 30,000 Birthday Enthusiasts (what we call our volunteers), we have celebrated birthdays with over 75,000 kids over the last 12 years … and we’re just getting started!
My personal leadership project was focused on helping people and organizations find alignment between their “day job” and the impact they’d like to have in the world. Like so many, I became a proud member of “The Quitters Club” and made a change in direction after my time in PLS. It was both literally and figuratively because of the support and encouragement I received from my fellow Scholars that I was able to make the change to where I am now.
What drives your work with The Birthday Party Project?
We can all connect with the ritual of a birthday. From the song we sing, to the blowing out of candles and making a wish – we all know what happens at a birthday party. And because of that, we can also imagine what it would be like to be a child who didn’t have a birthday celebration.
Once you attend one of our parties, you’re hooked. To see the JOY on the faces of the children we celebrate and the gratitude from the parents who are able to exhale, even if just for a moment, is truly addicting.
What really drives me is that your birthday is the one day where you are celebrated simply because you exist. The one day that is unique to you. It is your holiday, and we celebrate you simply because you are you. You didn’t have to earn a medal or do anything special. We rally around you and say “We’re glad you’re here. YOU are special and are worthy of being celebrated!”
This work is hard though. Like so many of us who do impact work, I’m constantly balancing the need to raise money against meeting the needs of those who are asking for our help. It’s a grind … and it never stops.
Recently, The Birthday Party Project threw a birthday party in Dallas, Texas, for children experiencing homelessness with the help of community members and volunteers. What were some takeaways from this joint effort, and what does the future hold instore for The Birthday Party Project?
We actually host birthday parties nearly every day in shelters all across the country. Right now, that means about 25 birthday parties per month, and we hope to keep growing!
When we partner with a shelter, we promise to show up the same day every month so that the kids in that shelter will be celebrated when their birthday comes around. All kids are always invited, but during their birthday month, the kids get to make a wish for a birthday gift, and we do our best to make that wish come true.
A few takeaways come up for me at our parties:
- Joy changes lives. Through this work, I have seen how the simple act of creating JOY for kids in challenging situations can unlock a world of possibilities. Ensuring kids feel special on their birthday is just one moment. And yet, just like offering a smile to someone on the street or at the coffee shop, it has a positive impact that can turn a bad day around which can have ripple effects that reach far and wide.
- Every kid matters. These kids are so incredibly resilient and have so much to offer the world. Realizing their potential starts with ensuring they feel seen, known, and celebrated. This is no different than what we wish and hope for any kid. We recently celebrated the college graduation of our first-ever scholarship recipient, Franchesca, and got to tell her story on the Sherri show. She’s just one example of how much potential exists in every kid, regardless of their circumstance and often because of it.
- We need support. Everything we do relies on donations. We work hard to ensure what we raise goes directly to support our mission and that means I’m constantly raising money. Please consider a gift today!
Looking ahead, I hope that we can identify strategic partners who can help provide the stable revenue flow to ensure the party never stops! What has been built at The Birthday Party Project over the last 12 years is so special, and incredibly scalable. We just need the steady funding to do it!
Please give us an update on what else you have been working on since completing the Presidential Leadership Scholar program.
Staying true to my PLP, I have also carved out time to provide expertise and support to causes and organizations beyond my day job. I’m currently helping an organization that is focused on addressing climate change through the development of a fellowship program which provides financial support, business coaching, and a peer-to-peer network for young leaders doing interesting work in the space.
In helping shape this program, I lean heavily on my experience and my takeaways from PLS. The power of a transformative experience with incredible peers who become like family is something I will always be grateful for from PLS and will seek to replicate wherever I can for others.
Which lessons learned during the Presidential Leadership Scholar program have stayed with you the most, and how have you put them into action?
First and foremost, people matter. We all have so much to offer the world, and if we can start from a place of humanity and openness to each other’s lived experiences, we’re all going to be better off. The motto in my husband’s and my household is “love wins.” We truly believe that no matter what we’re facing, if we start from a place of love, we win. Thanks to PLS, I have a LOT more love in my life and am eternally grateful for that.
