Girl Recruits School to Assemble ‘Lemon Aid’ Stands
For many of us, charity is not something we think about until we’re well into our 20s and 30s. Especially as young kids, we tend to cherish every dollar that comes our way, whether it’s from running the paper route, cards from Grandma, or setting up a lemonade stand. Seven-year-old Lulu Cerone wasn’t that different—until one day, she had an epiphany.
Lulu’s parents had a lemon tree in their backyard, so lemonade stands were part of her childhood. Like most kids, she tended to spend her money on toys and candy, until she learned about a needy nearby dog shelter, which inspired her and her friends to start running their lemonade stands for charity. Now, Lulu is a young adult running a powerful nonprofit.
As a pastor, you hope to inspire a little bit of Lulu’s giving attitude in everyone in your congregation, but it’s not easy. DonerWerx can help you confidently talk about the importance of kindness and charity and provide the software necessary to support your church. Begin your journey with us today!
Finding Meaning Through Social Good
Most kids run maybe one lemonade stand during the summer, spending an afternoon or two selling sweet glasses for a few quarters apiece, then counting up their bounty like little business people. That’s what a lemonade stand meant to Lulu and her friends for years until they made that pivotal decision to set up a stand for the benefit of their local dog shelter.
Lulu and her friends may have only raised a small amount of money for the dogs, but they were anything but discouraged. “We realized that adding an element of social good to this social activity not only helped some dogs, but it also made it way more fun and meaningful,” Lulu explains.
It wasn’t just the dog shelter Lulu and her friends wanted to help out. Suddenly, they began dreaming bigger. Lulu started researching important causes and learned about the nonprofit group Blood: Water, which fights the HIV/AIDs crisis in Africa by providing clean water to citizens. She was astonished to find out that it takes just $1 to provide a single African with clean water for a whole year.
In 2010, Lulu switched to another cause when the Haiti earthquake caused devastating losses. She was so moved by the crisis that she convinced her school to create a boys-versus-girls competition to see who could raise more funds in their fifth-grade class. Other schools followed suit, and before she knew it, they were attracting donations from across the city. Together, they raised over $4,000 in two short weeks.
The experience was unifying, eye-opening, impactful—and extremely fun. That’s what inspired Lulu to begin LemonAID Warriors.
The Founding of LemonAID Warriors
It can be easy for children to feel like they aren’t big enough to make a difference. Even adults sometimes struggle with feeling small in a world with such big problems. But, Lulu, found the motivation to dream bigger. ‘This event showed us how empowering it was to realize that we already had the skills to create tangible good in the world,’ Lulu explains. “We didn’t have to wait till we were adults.”
With her entire fifth-grade class excited to keep making a difference, Lulu founded LemonAID Warriors, a nonprofit that gives young adults and teens the tools to make social good a part of their everyday lives. One of the ways Lulu helps inspire social good is by teaching other kids how to hold PhilanthroParty, which are social gatherings for a cause.
Needless to say, LemondAID Warriors does far more than open lemonade stands on hot summer days and that’s why Lulu’s journey has been so inspiring. In March, her organization was able to complete an orphanage dormitory in Tijuana. They also provide scholarships for school children in Zimbabwe. Plus, they continue to partner with Blood: Water to support clean water and sanitation projects.
So far, LemondAID Warriors has raised more than $150,000 for needy causes around the world. It’s a wild success story that reminds us that no one is too small to make a big impact. If you’re looking to inspire kindness and charity like Lulu, DonorWerx can help. Get started today!
What Lulu Is Doing Next
Lulu has earned many accolades for her good work, including being a L’Oreal Paris’ Women of Worth honoree, but she doesn’t give back for the recognition or pats on the back. Lulu says her passion in life is helping others realize the power they hold and giving them the tools they need to make a change, even with a busy lifestyle.
“I feel we will be most effective if we can implement simple, realistic habits that make social-good a routine in our lives,” Lulu explains. “My grassroots method doesn’t add to your busy life — it turns what’s already on your calendar into a chance to become an agent of change.”
You can see what Lulu’s charity is up to at the LemonAID Warriors website.
How Donorwerx Can Help
Stories like Lulu’s remind us all that we have a bigger role to play in helping make our world safe, comfortable, and welcoming to all of God’s people. As a pastor, it’s your responsibility to inspire your congregation, just like Lulu is inspiring her peers. Of course, talking about giving is tough.
If you need help bringing up a charity, tithing, and volunteering in your church, DonorWerx can help. Learn how today!
