Lemonade Stand with a Purpose

This week seems to be a whirlwind of meetings, interviews, and presentations about the Lincoln Park Community Shelter to different groups and students. I did set myself up for this, with an ambitious goal of presenting 10 times in the month of June. Part of it was because I really want the community to know all about the great work we are doing, and another part was because our Fiscal Year ends on July 1^st and, since surpassing my presentation goals a few months back, I really wanted to have some ridiculous number to reach as a final hurrah. 

As I prepare for these presentations, I try to find new and interesting visual aids. Sometimes I use movies or I tell a unique story about a Graduate that is really accomplishing something extraordinary (such as Albert and his win by having such a drastic improvement in his health during our Get Healthy Challenge!). I was going through some past photos and I came across this one that is almost a year old:

This is the photograph that was taken when a little girl decided, completely on her own accord, to start a lemonade stand. After learning about LPCS through a school group that volunteered, she decided that she would like to find a way to give back. While most kids are using their allowances on video games or cd players (I may be aging myself…), Madeline did something unique. She worked for this money, and then she gave it to people in need. 

That was such a wonderful moment for me as a contributor to LPCS. At such a young age, this little girl has recognized that you have to work hard to earn money. Sometimes it means going to a regular job you don’t love, and other times it means standing on the street with a glass of cold lemonade and selling this to nearby customers. 

I also was able to take a moment this morning to  reflect upon the importance of going out to the community and sharing about LPCS. If I go to ten places in a month, and speak to 20 people at each place, I will have reached over 200 people. If in those 200 people, even one person is inspired to help out an organization, such as LPCS, then I will have done something worthwhile.

Madeline is an inspiring girl and I look forward to all of the great things she will do as she grows up!  

What are some creative ways, such as a lemonade stand, that you can think of to raise money for a cause or give back to the community? Please share here!

By: Meghan Freebeck, Community Relations Manager