NEW ORLEANS – Over the past three weeks, Lemonade Day Louisiana officials have been calculating the results for this year's program, and determined that this year's program exceeded expectations and results. More than 25,000 youth from across all parishes in Louisiana participated in the seventh annual Lemonade Day, making it the largest number of registrants in the program's history. Companies including Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, The Advocate Newspapers, Gibbs Construction, MAPP Construction, Acadian Companies, Level Homes as well as a host of statewide corporate sponsors and partners contributed to the success of this year's Lemonade Day, organizers said. The program's outcome was as extraordinary as it has been since entrepreneurs John Georges and Todd Graves introduced it in 2010, they said. The budding entrepreneurs that participated were greatly supported and sold massive amounts of lemonade to the community.
"Lemonade Day was a huge success this year because of the great support from our corporate sponsors, and our youth took on the challenge of starting their businesses," said John D. Georges, Lemonade Day Louisiana co-founder and CEO of Georges Enterprises. "I challenged the state to produce 25,000 new businesses, and we did just that."
Lemonade Day Louisiana, a nonprofit organization, allowed each child to indulge in a free and beneficial experience, organizers said. The tasks involved setting up a lemonade stand and tracking their business results. The program teaches each child how to begin, maintain and operate his or her own business through a lemonade stand. The techniques and skills taught will forever impact children as they grow in their lives and careers.
“Lemonade Day has truly grown into a success over the past several years,” said Todd Graves, Lemonade Day Louisiana co-founder and CEO of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. “It is outstanding to live in a state that encourages our younger generation to excel in entrepreneurship and have a commitment to maintaining a successful business.”
The process of starting one's own business began with registering at lemonadeday.org/louisiana. Once registered, each child received a free backpack and an Entrepreneur Workbook. The workbook teaches youth how to set goals, produce an effective plan, and turn their plan into a reality by creating and maintaining a successful business career. Each child was encouraged to spend some, save some and share some. The community contributed by either donating money to these little entrepreneurs to help set up their stand or by simply visiting multiple stands and purchasing lemonade.
“The purpose of Lemonade Day is to teach children business skills that will forever impact them,” said Jordan Piazza, executive director of Lemonade Day Louisiana. “The program taught them at a young age the importance of spending, saving and sharing money. We appreciate all who came out on May 6 and supported our young business leaders.”
Lemonade Day Louisiana has reached more than 125,000 kids over the past seven years, organizers said. Louisiana is one of over 57 cities in 23 states and three countries to participate in Lemonade Day.
Click here for a complete list of sponsors and partners, to sign up or learn about ways to get involved in Lemonade Day Louisiana
Watch a video about Lemonade Day here
