EAGAN, MN (ANS) -- According to the Casey Journalism Center on Children, 13 million American children live in families with incomes below federal poverty levels.

As a result of the economic crisis, hundreds of thousands of families have lost their homes. Consequently, the numbers of homeless parents and children will eventually rise, and milestone events like birthday gift giving will fall by the wayside.

Cheerful Givers, a Minnesota based non-profit founded in 1994, serves the neediest children by distributing birthday gift bags to food shelves and shelters. By donating gift bags so parents living below the poverty line can honor their children with a birthday gift, they otherwise would not be able to afford, Cheerful Givers contributes to a child's sense of self-worth while strengthening family bonds.

Founder, Robin Maynard, set up the non-profit after meeting with Mother Teresa in India, and used the Scripture from 2 Corinthians as inspiration: So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Since 1994, 283,623 birthday gift bags have been distributed to children in need. Their current goal is to reach out to 44,000 more disadvantaged children, and they rely on the generosity of volunteers and donors to help make this a reality. In addition, Cheerful Givers offers communities a pilot program whereby volunteer leaders and teams establish an initiative locally.

For more information, visit: http://www.cheerfulgivers.org

Jackie O'Neal is a freelance writer and regular contributor to The Press of Atlantic City and she also wrote for The New York Amsterdam News among others. She holds an M.F.A. in Poetry and Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College. O'Neal teaches Developmental Writing as a Senior adjunct professor at Atlantic Cape Community College where she was nominated for an Excellence in Teaching Award 2007. Originally from New York, O'Neal taught at York College, C.U.N.Y. for several years. Currently, she is an ordained priest and the only woman in 126 years to be nominated at her former parish, The Church of the Ascension in Atlantic City, N.J. She recently expanded her business and opened O'Neal Media Group to offer non-profits and small business affordable public relations services. She is engaged in several pro-bono projects via www.Nabuur.com.  To learn more, go to ONealMediaGroup.info.