When Charlie Wilson was in preschool, he learned that there were kids in school that didn’t have enough food to eat. He was deeply troubled by this fact, and for his birthday that year asked that donations be made to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s BackPack Buddies program in lieu of gifts. As time went on, Charlie and his family made a point of bringing food donations by the Food Shuttle in an effort to help those in need. Now, at the ripe age of 7 years, Charlie has come up with a new way of supporting the hunger relief effort that is so close to his heart. He and his brother, 4-year-old Ford, recruited several of their neighborhood friends to host a lemonade stand to benefit BackPack Buddies. The boys and their friends wanted to do something for their peers going back to school to help them start off on the right foot. The result? An astounding $862 was raised in a single day of refreshing beverage sales!
The Food Shuttle is grateful for the compassion and entrepreneurial spirit of this team of youngsters! Along with the Wilson brothers, they include Ava Hicks, Fisher Hicks, Louise Lutcavage, Charlie Lutcavage, Hudson Humphrey, Charlotte Humphrey, Pierce Thompson, and Webb Henley—none of whom are beyond the 2nd grade. The group is planning to make the lemonade stand fundraiser in their County Club Hills neighborhood an annual event. Young neighbors helping neighbors to create a hunger free community. So inspiring!