For many families facing food insecurity, birthdays can feel impossible to celebrate when every dollar is needed for groceries, rent, gas, or medical expenses. That is why our team created birthday kits — special bags filled with cake mix, frosting, candles, decorations, and party supplies designed to help parents create joyful moments for their children during difficult seasons. More than just supplies, these kits reflect that every child deserves to be celebrated and loved on their special day.
This summer, those birthday kits will include something new: a book of their very own.
That addition is thanks to Viduni, a 15-year-old with a big heart and an inspiring vision. Inside her parents’ garage, shelves are lined with carefully sorted children’s books organized by age and reading level. What began as a passion project on her 13th birthday has grown into “Folsom Book Bank USA,” a mission dedicated to helping children build home libraries and discover a lifelong love of reading.
Viduni personally collects, sorts, and checks every donated book before finding it a new home. So far, she has donated more than 1,200 books to schools, after-school programs, and communities as far as Sri Lanka.
Now, her generosity will help bring even more joy to children visiting the food bank — sparking their imagination, wonder, and hope through reading.
