A few weeks ago, Dude 3 discovered that there is a child hunger issue in this nation and that there are children just like him who go to bed each night hungry.
It was a sad day for him.
But, as someone who believes in joy and spreading it to as many people as possible, he decided that instead of sitting around crying about it, he needed to do something.
With his limited resources and idea library that originally involved him doing some sort of magic and mayhem, he settled on something he actually knows how to do right: his lemonade stand.
That also featured $.25 brownies.
He sat in the sun, with short interludes to play with passing friends, for two whole hours last Friday to raise cash to buy goods for the local food bank.
He fell asleep on the couch afterwards clutching the jar of change and dollars he’d raised. All total, he brought in $52.
Not bad at all for a Dude with a jug of powdered pink lemonade and a plate of chocolate chip cookie dough brownies with kid prints on them on the side of the road in the Maryland burbs.
I’m super proud of him for being so committed to this initiative. He saw a problem, came up with a solution, and put in the time and effort required to achieve his goal. All to help someone else.
I know he did it because he’s a good dude. And my 6 year old hero.
But, I also know that this was about more than just my Dude and his little idea. It was about a supportive community of friends who came out to donate cash and chug his watered down lemonade just to help him help out.
Because that’s what communities do: help each other out.
In every community there are kids who could use a hero in the form of a helping hand to ensure that they get a meal tonight.
Champions for Kids (an organization dedicated to making giving a way of life) grows partnerships to make giving easy. Thanks to their partnership with Sam’s Club, when you buy Tyson’s chicken nuggets, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, or Capri Sun* for your family, you can help feed a hungry child.
The awesome thing about being a hunger hero is that you don’t have to be faster than a speeding bullet spend a day building a lemonade stand, or an afternoon sitting in the sun selling it to help out. You don’t have to beat up bad guys, or have super powers, or even a lot of cash. All you need is desire and intentionality, although Dude 3 thinks sweet jump kicks are a necessity you’re welcome to consider them a bonus.
During the month of August you can be a Hunger Hero by simply shopping at Sam’s Club for your family. That means that even if donating isn’t necessarily in your budget you can help out by doing something you were going to do anyway: buying food for your kids.
We went to Sam’s Club to purchase items to donate to the food bank with the money Dude 3 made at his lemonade stand. We purchased as much Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner (has to be dry goods to donate) as his $52 could buy. And then, we took the gift card** we received from Sam’s Club to help promote this initiative, and bought that much more.
We figure this way hungry kids get to benefit double. So give them seconds please.
We want to encourage you to get in on the heroics by shopping at Sam’s Club for the featured products this month.
Also, for even more fun and learning, be sure to join us for a #HungerHeroes Twitter party on 8/21. We will be chatting about hunger in America, the Hunger Heroes program, and how you can give simply. Plus, five prizes will be given to randomly selected participants who answer the trivia questions correctly. Each prize includes a $50 Sam’s Club gift card. Please RSVP to participate.
Hulk smash.
Cowabunga.
I am Batman.
*Program specifics: When you purchase Tyson® Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets 5 lb. bag, KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 7.25 oz., 12 pack or CAPRI SUN Juice Drink Variety Pack – 40 pouches at Sam’s Club a donation of 4 oz. of protein, 6 fl. oz. of CAPRI SUN, and/or 2.5 oz. of KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinners will be made.
**Disclosure: I participated in this program on behalf of Champions for Kids and The Motherhood. We used the gift card we received to purchase product for donation. All opinions are my own.