Alpharetta teen turns love of baking into birthday celebrations for families in need

A 16-year-old Alpharetta High School senior is using her love of baking to help make sure young people experiencing hardship still have something to celebrate on their birthdays.

Reyha Raghavaraju founded Birthday Bundles about a year ago after an experience while volunteering at a food distribution.

"This one kid was wearing a birthday hat," Raghavaraju said. "And then I asked him what he was doing for his birthday and he's like, 'I'm here.'"

The encounter stayed with her.

Raghavaraju said she had always grown up looking forward to her own birthday celebrations and began thinking about children and young adults who might not have the same experience.

That idea became Birthday Bundles, a teen-led nonprofit that provides homemade cakes or cupcakes, small gifts and handwritten cards to people served through local shelters.

"I think the hallmark of Birthday Bundles what we do for every single bundle is we have a handwritten card," Raghavaraju said. "So our handwritten cards, we write them all by hand."

Raghavaraju said each bundle is created with the recipient in mind, including age-appropriate gifts and a personalized message.

She is not doing the work alone.

Fourteen-year-old Saira Sharma, Raghavaraju's longtime friend and neighbor, is one of the young volunteers helping prepare the cakes and bundles.

"I think I am personally grateful that I can do that," Sharma said. "And I'm happy that we can make other people happy too. It's very joyful."

Raghavaraju said Birthday Bundles has been fully operational since the spring and has reached more than 136 families across metro Atlanta with the help of about a dozen volunteers.

The organization currently works with three shelter partners, including Covenant House Georgia. One recent delivery included a homemade cake and birthday bundle prepared for young people served by the organization.

Raghavaraju said the experience has changed the way she thinks about something many families may take for granted.

"To me, what was shocking is that they didn't get something as simple as a birthday celebration," she said.

Birthday Bundles is now looking for additional volunteer bakers, donations and shelter partners as it works to expand beyond its current North Fulton volunteer base.

For Raghavaraju, the goal remains simple: make sure more people know someone thought about them on their birthday.