SALT LAKE CITY — Talk about a labor of love. Salt Lake City Mission is hosting a mass birthday party for people experiencing homelessness in Pioneer Park on Monday, a new twist on its long tradition of providing meals and entertainment to the needy on Labor Day.

The mission is preparing to feed 4,000 people on Sept. 5, said Pastor Joe Vazquez of the Salt Lake City Mission.

"All we ask is anybody who has a birthday this year gets to celebrate. That's everybody who comes to the park," said Rev. Vazquez, the mission's assistant executive director.

To make that happen, the mission is asking for the help of volunteers, which can be hard to come by on a holiday weekend, and the donation of a sheet cake, said Rev. Vazquez.

"Last year we had somebody donate a sheet cake, which we haven't gotten that yet. But I'm hopeful by these types of communications out there that someone will make a sheet cake for us and just put 'Happy Birthday' on it," he said.

Salt Lake City Mission has hosted a Labor Day event for 23 years. When Vazquez joined the mission from the Colorado Springs mission two years ago, he brought with him the homeless birthday party tradition, which the Salt Lake City Mission adopted.

"We just want to be out in the park because there's really not much else open on Labor Day for these folks, but we'll be there. We'll be providing breakfast and lunch and hopefully making it a fun day in the park," he said.

The reason for the party is two-fold, Rev. Vazquez said: to ensure the needy have something to eat on the holiday and "trying to find people who are ready to make a life change and hopefully find some recruits for our men's recovery program and direct people to organizations like the mission that are helping women, children and families."

The day's activities include face-painting and balloons for children, drawings for prizes and giveaways of hygiene kits, clothing and a limited number of gifts.

To volunteer, donate winter clothing or other items, call 801-355-6310 for more information or email Rev. Vazquez at jvazquez@saltlakecitymission.org. To make a financial contribution, visit the mission's website at saltlakecitymission.org.

Email: marjorie@deseretnews.com