By Addie Rising, SHARECharlotte.org, a free, easy and local website that makes it easy to learn about and engage with our local nonprofits.
OK Smarty Parents! We’ve got a contest where EVERYONE wins! Wait, what? Everyone? Yes, everyone! 
For many neighbors in Charlotte, summer brings a time of great need. Groceries are hard to come by and many families in our community rely on resources from local organizations to make it through the summer months. Did you know that summer is when Charlotte’s food pantries become depleted? Need does not get a vacation.
Enter SummerSHARE, which runs July 10-21! SummerSHARE, presented by Bank of America, is an easy way to buy stuff nonprofits need right now to continue their good work. Scroll through products at summershare.org to learn who needs what and why. Then with a few clicks and a few bucks you can purchase these much-needed items which will be sent directly to the organizations.
Last year SummerSHARE supported 77 nonprofits and raised 4,280 items in a two-week timeframe. This year, SummerSHARE has 116 nonprofit partners and we hope to raise over 5,000 items that they need right now to continue helping our Charlotte neighbors who rely on their services.
“This is AWESOME!” you’re thinking. “But what’s the contest?”
This year, we have a way to get the whole family involved. We want to see LemonAID stands pop up ALL over Charlotte during the next two weeks to support SummerSHARE! It’s SO easy and anyone can do it! Here’s how it works:
– Invite neighbors to participate with you! You can even have your kids challenge their friends through Instagram to see who can do the most GOOD!
– Host a LemonAID Stand for GOOD in your driveway, at your church or place of employment … anywhere you can think of!
– SHARE pictures on social media and be sure to use #summershareCLT in all of your posts because … the first four families to post using #summershareCLT will win Charlotte Knights tickets to a home baseball game in July, courtesy of our friends at Duke Energy!
– Use funds raised to purchase items for nonprofits at summershare.org through July 21.
Allison Walsh and her kids, Kellen (6) and Mae (4), held a LemonAID Stand for Good and raised $61 in just one hour. “The LemonAID Stand was a fantastic way to involve my kids in SummerSHARE,” she said. “We had a fun afternoon together with our friends and it gave us the opportunity to highlight the importance of giving back to the community. They loved reviewing the list of Charlotte nonprofits and are so excited to give to Shining Hope Farms. I also loved watching them advertise our stand by waving everyone down and yelling “LemonAID for Charity!”
During SummerSHARE, Walsh and her family will use the $61 to purchase products for Shining Hope Farms at summershare.org. “Kellen loves horses and once he learned what Shining Hope Farms does it was a no brainer to pick their organization,” Walsh said. “Mae especially enjoyed handing the customers their lemonade. They were very proud!”
“Wait,” you’re thinking. “You said everyone wins?”
YES! When you have a LemonAID Stand for GOOD, your kids are learning how to raise funds to reinvest right here in Charlotte to strengthen the community. SHARE Charlotte’s mission is to build a better Charlotte by uniting the city through GOOD. Being able to lift up and support our nonprofits, who do the toughest work in our community, is the best prize!
