Grace Hendrian started a lemonade stand in Quincy, Illinois, at age six to raise $10 for charity. Seven years later, the initiative expanded into a community event involving multiple stands and raised approximately $55,000 for The Salvation Army. Grace's younger sister June joined the effort in 2021, and together they surpassed their initial modest goal by providing substantial financial support to local families facing hardships like hunger and homelessness.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At age 6, Grace Hendrian started a lemonade stand in Quincy, Illinois, aiming to raise $10 for charity. Over seven summers, her project grew significantly, eventually raising about $55,000 by the time she was 13. In 2019, the first year of the fundraiser, Grace and her family raised more than $1,000, which provided around 400 meals for The Salvation Army's Family Services program. By 2021, Grace’s younger sister June joined the effort, and together they set a goal to provide 500 meals. Matt Schmidt, Development Director of The Salvation Army Quincy Area Command, highlighted how the initiative evolved from a single lemonade stand into a community-wide fundraising event. In 2026, it marked the last season for their "Lemon-Aid Stand for Good," leaving behind a significant charitable impact on the local community.
Written for “Lemonade Stand Success Story” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
What began as a simple goal for a six-year-old to raise $10 for charity has now come to an end, leaving the local community with tens of thousands of dollars in charitable support.
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old → begin → support
Grace Hendrian and her younger sister, June, have finished the final season of their “Lemon-Aid Stand for Good” in Quincy, Illinois.
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Hendrian → finish → Quincy
What started as a small idea in 2019 grew into a fundraiser that brought in about $55,000 for The Salvation Army.
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that → start → Army
WGEM reported that 2026 was the stand's final season.
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2026 → report → ?
A modest ambition takes root
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ambition → take → root
The project began in 2019, when Grace was six years old and asked her mother, Kellea Hendrian, if she could run a lemonade stand and give the money to a local charity.
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she → begin → charity
Grace first set a goal of raising $10.
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Grace → set → 10
Her father, Adam, suggested adding a zero and making the goal $100.
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goal → suggest → zero
The family ultimately raised more than $1,000 that first year.
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family → raise → 1,000
According to regional coverage from WGEM News, the first fundraiser far exceeded Grace's original goal.
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fundraiser → accord → goal
In 2019, the money donated to The Salvation Army's Family Services was enough to provide about 400 meals.
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money → donate → meals
In 2021, Grace's younger sister June joined the effort.
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sister → join → effort
Together, the sisters set out to raise enough money to provide 500 meals.
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sisters → set → meals
The sisters gave all of the money they raised to The Salvation Army Quincy Area Command.
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they → give → Command
The funds support Family Services programs that help people facing hunger, homelessness, and other hardships in the area.
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that → support → area
Expanding across the county
As interest grew, the sisters turned the project from one lemonade stand into a community event.
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sisters → expand → event
Beginning in 2022, Grace and June invited other children and families to run their own Lemon-Aid stands.
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Grace → begin → stands
Local groups, including churches and sports teams, could also take part.
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groups → include → part
By 2023, the project had expanded to multiple stands around the community.
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project → expand → community
The Salvation Army helped support the expansion.
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Army → help → expansion
Registered stands received starter kits with supplies such as an official Red Kettle, a tablecloth, Lemon-Aid Stand signs, and information for collecting donations.
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stands → receive → donations
By 2026, the event had grown beyond a single location.
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event → grow → location
WGEM reported that 14 independent stands operated alongside Grace and June during the final 2026 fundraiser.
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stands → report → fundraiser
The stands appeared across the Quincy area and into Missouri, showing how far the sisters' idea had spread.
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idea → appear → Missouri
Over seven summers, Grace, June, their family, and other community participants raised about $55,000 for The Salvation Army.
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Grace → raise → Army
The total had passed $33,000 by 2023 and more than $45,000 by 2025.
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total → pass → 2025
WGEM reported that the total reached about $55,000 by the end of the seven-year effort in 2026.
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total → report → 2026
Their work also earned the sisters formal recognition from The Salvation Army.
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work → earn → Army
Grace and June were named the 2022 Salvation Army Volunteers of the Year for the Quincy area.
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Grace → name → area
Speaking about the project's impact, Salvation Army Quincy Area Command Development Director Matt Schmidt said the fundraiser had grown from one lemonade stand into a community-wide effort.
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fundraiser → speak → effort
He told WGEM that the event showed how young people can make a real difference and praised Grace and June for their leadership.
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people → tell → leadership
Moving on to new chapters
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Moving → move → chapters
With Grace and June getting older and taking on more activities, the family decided that 2026 would be the final official season of the Lemon-Aid Stand for Good.
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2026 → get → Good
Grace was 13 and June was 10 when the final season ended.
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season → end → ?
WGEM reported that the sisters plan to continue helping The Salvation Army as volunteers and mentors for future fundraisers.
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sisters → report → fundraisers
The money raised through the fundraiser goes to The Salvation Army's Family Services programs.
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money → raise → programs
Those programs help local families with food, shelter, financial assistance, and other support.
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programs → help → food
The sisters' original idea, which began with a simple lemonade stand, has now become a lasting community tradition.
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which → begin → stand
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