And America's biggest heart award goes to... Texas mother who throws thousands of birthday parties for homeless children 'so they can feel special'

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From cake to presents, fun games and party hats, it's fair to say that every child loves birthdays.

But for thousands of children living in homeless shelters across the country, throwing a party on their birthday is only a pipe-dream.

At least that used to be the case until Paige Chenault, a mother from Dallas, Texas, set up The Birthday Party Project to give deprived children the gift of a special celebration.

Paige Chenault, from Dallas, Texas, has hosted 1,300 birthday parties for children living in shelters across America in the last three years after found The Birthday Party Project

Each month Chenault and her team of volunteers (pictured) travel to homeless shelters and hold birthday parties for all the children who were born in that month, giving them each a cake and a gift

Speaking to USA Today, Chenault said the idea behind the project came while she was pregnant and began fantasizing about the kinds of parties she would throw for her daughter.

While watching TV, she happened to see an impoverished child following the earthquake disaster in Haiti, and came to a realization.

Chenault (pictured) said she came up with the idea while pregnant and fantasizing about all the parties she was going to throw for her daughter

She said: 'It just sort of hit me. This kid will never feel celebrated like I could celebrate my daughter. I could do a lot of things for my kid, but I want to do it in a greater way with a bigger purpose.'

A part planner by trade, in 2012 Chenault decided she wanted to put her skills to use helping some of the most vulnerable in society and founded The Birthday Party Project.

Initially operating in homeless shelters in Dallas, each month Chenault and her team of volunteers visit participating refuges and celebrate all the children's birthdays that took place that month.

While the celebration happens in a group, each birthday boy or girl gets an individual cake, a special badge, a tiara or crown and a gift worth around $30.

Each month has a costume theme to it. September was 'country fair', while October features a Halloween-inspired Monster Mash  

Volunteers, known as 'birthday enthusiasts', are also on hand to help the kids celebrate. Chenault added: 'A lot of these children don't know how to blow out a candle or even make a wish.'

Since the very first birthday, hosted for a young boy named Micah who was turning 12, the organization has hosted a total of 1,350 birthdays with 11,500 kids in attendance.

While all the children celebrate as a group, if they have a birthday that month, they are given a badge, a crown or tiara, a personalized cake, and a gift worth around $30

Chenault said that a lot of the children she visits have never celebrated a birthday party before, and have no idea about blowing out candles or making a wish afterwards

While the scheme initially only operated in Chenault's home city of Dallas, it has now expanded to Kansas City, San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis, among others

During that time, Chenault estimates 10,000 cupcakes have been eaten, alongside ten dozen donuts and 1,000 birthday cakes.

This year alone they will host more than 180 more parties, in cities as far afield as Kansas, Minnesota, California, Illinois and New York.

Speaking to Dallas News, Chenault added: 'The kids love it. They get excited. They look forward to this time.They need family time. 

'They're craving time to sit around a table with family, to interact with other kids. 

'The moms, they’re looking for jobs and trying to do better for their children and families. They need people to love on them and accept them.'

Since the very first party in 2012, Chenault estimates she has thrown 1,350 birthdays with 11,500 children in attendance and help from 4,200 volunteers