Emery's Lemonade Stand: A Young Girl's Heartwarming Donation to Salvation Army Tornado Relief
Stephanie Chastain | michelle.hartfield@uss.salvationarmy.org
When tornadoes devastated her hometown, 7-year-old Emery couldn't just stand by. Moved by the destruction, she approached her grandmother, Teresa, with a heartfelt idea. "Emery asked, 'Grammy, can we set up my lemonade stand to help those in need?'" Teresa recalls. On those sweltering days, Emery, with the help of her friend Naomi, who was also affected by the storm, set up a lemonade stand. They served ice-cold lemonade and began collecting donations from generous community members.
Emery expressed, "I felt bad for the people who lost their homes, and my mom said I can give my money to help them." Their lemonade stand was on one of The Salvation Army's mobile feeding routes, and Captain Johnathon Flowers stopped by, offering hot meals. Touched by Emery’s compassion, Captain Flowers provided extra snacks for her to distribute.
Knowing she wanted her donations to help those most in need, Emery chose to give all the proceeds to The Salvation Army. Her selfless act stands as a beacon of hope and community spirit, proving that even the smallest hands can make a big difference. This heartwarming story is a testament to the power of kindness and the impact one young girl can have on her community in times of need.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.