Meet some of our youngest and most energetic donors. Local students Alana, Lylah and Oliver prove that you’re never too young to make a local impact and change the health of people in our communities.
Alana raises funds and spreads cheer to help children who need pediatric care. Lylah runs an amazing lemonade stand to help cancer patients. Oliver reaches into his giving jar for kids “and everyone.” Read on to learn why they give.
Alana, 12
Pediatric Care
“I enjoy helping kids. Raising money to help kids in the hospital is something I have done for several years and will keep doing.
Some years I have raised a lot. I just ask. In the past, I have asked my friends and my family to donate the amount of how old I am. So, when I was 10, I asked everyone to donate $10. I do it around Christmas. Then I decided to ask and start raising money even earlier – at Thanksgiving. People are always excited.
When I was younger, I saw a commercial on TV that inspired me and asked my mom about it. It made me want to help kids who are sick and especially kids here.”
Lylah, 10
Cancer Care
“My grandma has blood cancer. She goes to Pearson Cancer Center for treatment. I also wanted to help a lot of other people in our community as well.
I can imagine that having cancer is hard and that people need really good care, so I decided to raise money through a lemonade stand. We started it last year and it’s going to be an annual thing for our family. We make the lemonade. And we make treats. Brownies and cookies. Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies to be specific. They’re really good. The brownies are too. And the lemonade is fun to make.
I think it’s a great thing to do. It makes me feel good and it helps others.”
Oliver, 9
Greatest Need and Pediatric Care
“I saw that other kids donated and thought ‘I could do that.’ I donate and give to things I think are good.
I have a giving jar. Whenever I get money for chores or my birthday or something, I put some of it in my save jar, some in my spend jar and some in my give jar.
I looked at the areas you can give to. For a while, I wanted to be a doctor for kids, so of course I wanted to help kids. I picked pediatric care. And I like the idea of helping everyone and giving to whatever the greatest need is, so I also picked greatest need.
It’s good for kids and everyone to have the care they need.”
Learn more about how you can direct your gift in a way that is meaningful to you.