Most 11-year-olds spend their summer playing video games, sleeping in, or plucking their parents’ nerves… but not Cartier Carey!
This young entrepreneur spent the summer, selling lemonade with one goal in mind, to raise money for diapers, wipes, and other supplies for single mothers who were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Black Business, the Hampton, Virginia native started Kids 4 Change when he learned through some of his friends the hardships their single mothers were experiencing. While Cartier comes from a two-parent household, he says he began to realize how hard it must be to raise kids alone, especially during a pandemic.
Cartier opened a lemonade stand with the support of his parents and siblings in order to give back. He sold candy for $.25, chips for $.50, and lemonade for $1 right from his front lawn with a sign that read: “Raising Money for Single Mothers.”
“I really wanted to raise awareness,” said Cartier in an interview with The Washington Post. “I want to spend all my free time doing this.”
Not only did people passing by purchase lemonade, but also donated to the cause as well. Cartier was able to raise about $3,000 within his first three days. He used every single dime to purchase diapers and other supplies for single mothers in need.
Per The African- American Business Guide, to this date, Cartier’s lemonade stand has earned $7,500 which has allowed him to buy over 27,500 diapers that he has distributed to churches, local shelters, and directly to single mothers in his community.
