Turning lemons in lemonade is not a new concept, yet leave it to Beyoncé to turn a common cliche into an anthem of female empowerment. But several years before Queen Bey broke the Internet (again) there was a little girl named Alex serving up lemonade in a very literal, and very amazing way. Beyoncé’s Lemonade is good but it ain’t got nothing on Alex’s.
The Cause:
Alex was diagnosed with cancer and received a treatment that extended her young life four extra years. In those four years she started Alex’s Lemonade Stand to raise money to give to families of other children batting this horrific disease. Her first year she raised $2000, the next $12,000 the next $18,000 all from selling cups of lemonade in her front yard
In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of eight yet with the help of others, she had raised more than $1 million dollars to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Her parents and brothers faithfully continue her work with the help and support from some Hollywood’s heavy hitters like Jimmy Kimmel and the culinary elite like Giada De Laurentis, Suzanne Goin and April Bloomfield.
The Food:
While Beyoncé couldn’t make it to this lemonade celebration, 2,000 people attended the 2016 LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade Event on September 10th. I was blown away by the generosity of the attendees plus the caliber of the chefs and the amazing food. The best mixologists and chefs came from across the country and served up culinary masterpieces in support of Alex’s Lemonade.
The Impact:
Late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel and several chefs pulled together two spontaneous dinners that went for a total of $110,000. The Kids’ Campaign raised $23,000 through their lemonade stands, bake sales and other creative fundraising activities throughout the year. This event raised over $1 million.
I left this event with an extreme amount of gratitude for being able to witness a depth of caring you don’t see everyday. Giada said it best in my interview with her “if you have your health you can do anything“. Take care of yourselves Spooniverse and be like Alex; turn lemons into lemonade every chance you get.
Watch my interview with Food Network Chef Giada, the live auction with Jimmy Kimmel and more awesomeness below: