Megs Yunn is used to throwing birthday parties for others, founding Beverly’s Birthdays in 2011 to ensure homeless children in the region get to celebrate their special day.
Mike Rowe, who spearheads “Returning the Favor,” which streams on Facebook, thought it was time for Yunn to have a celebration of her own.
He visited the Irwin-based Beverly’s Birthdays late last year, prior to Yunn’s December birthday, and presented her with a surprise birthday party. Included among the “gifts” are $10,000 worth of toys and $25,000 to help support her mission.
Yunn says she was expecting a documentary crew to show up to film a birthday party.
“I recognized Mike Rowe’s face, and I knew ‘Dirty Jobs,’” she says. “I had no reason to question it.”
Rowe gained fame with an earlier television show, “Dirty Jobs,” in which he worked alongside employees performing jobs others might describe as dangerous or gross.
With “Returning the Favor,” he aims to give back to humanitarians who help out in their own communities.
Yunn says among the many toys was a large selection from Melissa and Doug, which manufactures popular toys for toddlers.
The nonprofit recently moved into a new location, and the $25,000 will help with everything from overhead to funding those birthday parties, she says.
“Every dollar helps. We are on track to serve 30,000 children in 2019 alone,” Yunn says.
That number includes the 680 teachers in 73 schools where Beverly’s Birthdays is active, primarily in Allegheny County, she says.
“It was nice, unplanned … The best money is money you didn’t know you were going to get,” Yunn says.
The video ends with confetti cannons, a special tribute to Yunn.
“I always say I want to drop a glitter bomb on Pittsburgh,” she says.
Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Mary at 724-836-5401, mpickels@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaryPickels.
