SAN FRANCISCO (KXAN) — A cake, candles and presents are all standard items for a birthday party. It may be hard to believe, but some children never experience one. That’s where 16-year-old Tanvi barman comes in.

The California teen started a nonprofit called No Birthday Left Behind which provides children living in homeless shelters with a day of celebration.

Barman says the idea grew out of experiences she had volunteering at a homeless shelter when she was younger.

“I used to hang out with the kids there and eat breakfast and one time I asked them when is your birthday party coming up and they didn’t really respond,” Barman said.

Barnam works with five different shelters and believes she’s thrown around 30 birthday parties so far.