Box of Balloons

Each Leadership Development Academy of Rock County participant works with a small group of their fellow class members to plan and execute a collaborative project that addresses a community need. These projects and their results are presented each May and serve as the program's capstone experience.

Box of Balloons

Remember when you were a kid celebrating your birthday? Can you imagine not being able to give a child or grandchild you love a birthday party due to financial or other hardships?

Volunteers and donors for the Janesville chapter of Box of Balloons, a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3), help package a birthday party kit in a box catered to the wishes and desires of the birthday child. Inside the decorated box are tableware and cupcakes, party activities and favors for up to six children, decorations, candles, and a birthday gift.

Requests for birthday boxes come to Janesville Box of Balloons co-leaders from social workers at local schools and shelters. There is no direct contact with the child, and the child understands that the party and gift come from the parent(s) or caregiver(s).

Team Three-O-Five strives to assist Janesville Box of Balloons raise money, increase awareness, and expand its outreach so that more boxes can be filled for Rock County children in the future.

Our goals are to raise $5,000 to build 50 boxes and stabilize funding through local business support. Will you help Janesville Box of Balloons spread kindness like confetti?

Project Resources

Team details

Team name

Three-O-Five

Year completed

Team members & employers

Rick Saari, Town of Beloit
Mindy Koontz, City of Beloit
Steve McComb, ANGI Energy Systems
Kara Blue, Hedberg Public Library
Benji Thompson, Janesville Police Department.