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Nifty 9 Year Old Runs Lemmon ‘Aid’ Stand … by Julie Griffith

Fourth-grader Megan Hakopian, with the help of parents Andy and Treza, runs a “lemon aid” stand at their La Verne home during summer to raise funds for David & Margaret Youth and Family Services.

Fourth-grader Megan Hakopian, with the help of parents Andy and Treza, runs a “lemon aid” stand at their La Verne home during summer to raise funds for David & Margaret Youth and Family Services.

Life hasn’t yet handed 9-year-old Megan Hakopian many lemons. So she asked her mom to buy her some, then she made lemonade, opened a stand and donated the profits to charity.

This is the third year that the 4th grader has raised funds for David & Margaret Youth and Family Services, the La Verne-based nonprofit agency that provides vital services to youth and families in distress. “My dad does computer work there,” she explains. (Dad is Andy Hakopian, president of Netsmart Systems, Inc., also in La Verne. Netsmart hosts the Website of Joan Macy School on the David & Margaret campus.) “He took me there and I wanted to do something for them with all the money I make” from the lemonade stand. Or rather, lemon-“aid,” as she styles it.

As a surprise last year for the young philanthropist, her grandfather built a sturdy, 6-foot-tall covered stand out of two-by-fours, painted it yellow and green, and included a slate on the front so Megan could customize the “signage.” It is even mounted on casters, so it can easily be rolled out of the family garage and into its place of business at the end of the driveway.

 Their location on busy Baseline Road near Emerald Avenue ensures a good flow of traffic, such as the one that drew thirsty visitors during one hot weekend recently. How has business been? “Awesome!” she exclaims with a bright smile.

Megan has donated more than $300 over the past two years, and she is hoping to beat that total this year with two or three more lemonade stand Saturdays. Watch for the dates on David & Margaret’s Facebook page.

“We’re very grateful for all the support we get,” said David & Margaret Executive Director Charles Rich. “We appreciate that young people like Megan are getting involved and learning to give back to their community from an early age.”

David & Margaret Youth and Family Services has a successful track record of providing more than 1,000 clients annually with a comprehensive range of services. It provides a residentially-based program and shelter care for adolescent girls, a foster family agency, adoption assistance, mental health services, family preservation and support, treatment for learning disabilities, a transitional living program, and school- and community-based education and programs.

The 102-year-old agency also offers shelter care for adolescent boys who are in the country without legal documentation and without an accompanying parent/guardian. Additionally, it has a chemical dependency program that is certified by the State of California for residents who are recovering from substance abuse. For more information on services and programs, call (909) 596-5921or visit www.DavidandMargaret.org.