When Sofia Donated Her Birthday For The First Time

The end of summer 2019 came quickly, and as Sofia was preparing her ideas for what she wanted her 7th birthday to be, she approached her parents with one question.

“Would it be okay if I asked people to give items for the animals instead of toys or gifts for myself?”

For her mom and dad, it came out of nowhere, and when pressed as to what made her feel like she wanted to do such a thing, Sofia simply said, “I have enough stuff. I want to help animals. Can I please?”

Swift changes were made to the invitations, asking everyone to bring a donation for the animal shelter instead of something for Sof. The local SPCA was notified, and of course, invited to attend the day. Her mother’s SUV was parked on the lawn with an open trunk, and as guests arrived throughout the day, it filled with everything from gently loved old blankets to brand new dog coats, cat toys, food, and treats. It was amazing to so many who attended that this little girl’s focus was not on herself, but on animals!

Before long, the back of the truck was packed full, and another vehicle had to be used to continue filling items in preparation for delivery. Sofia chose the Montgomery County SPCA as the benefactor, and a few days later, made the trip to the facility to unload the haul. She had a tour of the grounds, got to meet loads of dogs and cats, and had lots of photos taken!

Sofia’s grandmother notified Steve Caporizzo of local news WTEN, in hopes he’d be interested in featuring Sofia’s story on his segment called “Pet Connection” and he did!