A teddy bear inspired Payton Obert to help other children. She received it from a charity when she was just 18 months old, and it helped her through a difficult time. She continued to keep it close. When she turned eight, she decided to offer similar support to children in hospital. In 2018, she opened Payton’s Lemonade Stand and raised $768, spending all of it on toys.
Her idea attracted support from the community around her home city of Cincinnati. What began as one child’s lemonade stand grew into a charity supported by other young people and their communities. It has now provided $5 million worth of gifts and necessities to children. Its work reaches families in Cincinnati and across the country, including children facing financial difficulties or long hospital stays. Alongside toys, it distributes food, clothing, books and school supplies.
The lemonade stands raised $170,000 in 2026. That year, stands also opened in West Virginia, Baltimore and New Mexico, extending the effort to more places.
