Burlington County woman plans birthday party for roughly 200 foster children

MAPLE SHADE, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A Burlington County woman is planning a birthday party for nearly 200 foster kids, with the hope of giving them a special day that they'll always remember.

"I just want them to feel loved," said Gina Capate, the coordinator for Toys For Tots. "I was going to do 65 kids. They were going to get a toy, a loot bag, and a cupcake, and that's what they were going to get, and it turned into 200 kids."

Capate has been the Toys For Tots coordinator for 24 years. She says she got involved while her children were in elementary school and she learned of the great need in her community.

The 200-child birthday party is her latest project.

"People think toys for Toys For Tots, they think Christmas," said Capate. "Children's needs aren't seasonal, family's needs aren't seasonal."

That's why Capate has turned her branch of the nonprofit into an all-year-long endeavor. It helped nearly 60,000 kids in 2022.

"I wanted to make sure that they had something that they were able to take with them," she said.

The plan is to hold the party on May 23 at the Maple Shade 25 Club. Her goal is that kids who come will feel special and like this party is just for them, but in order to do that, she needs more help.

She's currently in the process of collecting toys, donations, food, and gift bags for kids of all ages.

"I love to help people. If I can help somebody, I want to help them, no matter what it is and that's just always the way that I've been," she said.

Beyond the toys and the cake, Capate hopes to give the kids something even more valuable: a community that cares.

"They have a whole community around them and things like that. That's the most important thing for me," she said.