For Payton Obert, a teddy bear received from a children’s hospital charity at 18 months old became a lasting reminder of kindness during a difficult time. At eight, she decided to offer comparable comfort to other children. Her first lemonade stand, opened in 2018, raised $768, all of which paid for toys for children in hospital. Community interest around her home city of Cincinnati helped increase the following year’s proceeds tenfold.
The initiative expanded further in 2020, when Obert launched Payton’s Pals amid the hardship associated with COVID-19 restrictions. Eight stands across Cincinnati and Kentucky raised $35,000 in cash and toy donations. In 2021, Payton’s Lemonade Stand became a registered charity, bringing together 100 young people to operate 30 stands. Support subsequently grew to include fire departments, schools, Girl Scout groups, local businesses and sports teams. The assistance also broadened beyond hospital toys: the organisation now supplies food, clothing, books and school materials to children and families in Cincinnati and nationwide, including those experiencing financial hardship or prolonged hospital stays.
Across eight years, the effort has channelled $5 million worth of gifts and necessities to children. In 2025, 100 stands across Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky raised $150,000 in just three hours, with many developing into lemonade fairs. The 2026 event raised $170,000, while stands opened in West Virginia, Baltimore and New Mexico. A project originally intended to pass on the comfort of a childhood gift has thus developed into a wider community-supported charitable effort.
