One Cup at a Time: The Importance of Giving Back

We are all busy. Trust me, I get it. Between work, family, friends, exercise, and oh yeah, sleep, finding spare time to volunteer and give back in our communities is something that often gets dismissed. But giving back doesn’t just make us feel better, it’s our responsibility to offer our expertise, our time, and our money to causes that we believe in.

Auntie Anne’s was literally founded on the premise of giving back. Anne and Jonas Beiler lost their young daughter in a farming accident. As they struggled to understand their grief, they sought counseling. They’ve said counseling saved their marriage and perhaps their lives. Jonas had a vision to give others in similar situations the opportunity to receive counseling. He wanted others to be helped the way he was helped. And he wanted to provide those counseling services to his community for free. In order to fund this vision, Anne decided to go back to work. Auntie Anne’s was born out of that desire to give back. We’ve continued to honor our founders’ vision of giving back ever since our first pretzels were sold in 1988. We all are 100% invested in giving back in our communities by donating our time, money, and expertise. We are passionate about honoring our founders’ legacy. One cup at a time.

Since 2011, Auntie Anne’s has supported Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). It’s a natural fit – pretzels and lemonade! ALSF is doing incredible work to find a cure for pediatric cancer. ALSF Founder Alex Scott was a young visionary – she wanted to help the doctors who were treating her find a cure. She wanted to help other children like her. Before she passed away in 2004, she raised more than $1 million by selling cups of lemonade. One little girl can really make a difference. We all can! One cup at a time.

Liz and Jay Scott – Alex’s parents – have continued Alex’s vision of curing pediatric cancer by leading the foundation that bears her name. Pediatric cancer researchers receive just four percent of the national cancer research funds each year. Sadly, many children don’t survive, but with the support of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, researchers are finding new and creative ways to cure pediatric cancer. One cup at a time.

Edie is one of those children benefiting from Alex. She was not even a year old when she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2009. Her parents, Emily and Nick, were going to do whatever it took to help Edie survive. They ended up at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where Edie was admitted into a trial with Dr. Yael Mosse. Dr. Mosse’s therapy shrank Edie’s tumors and now, nearly 10 years later, sweet Edie is still in remission. Because of funding from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Because of Dr. Yael Mosse’s relentless pursuit of a therapy that would help those suffering from neuroblastoma. Edie had a scan just this week at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and she remains cancer free. One cup at a time.

Alex Scott would have turned 23 last week. There wasn’t a cure for Alex, but thanks to her vision, more than $150 million ($150 million!!!) has been raised to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer. Doctors and scientists are receiving the funding they need to pursue groundbreaking research; more than 1,000 cutting-edge research projects have been funded at 135 hospitals and institutions across the country. One cup at a time.

Auntie Anne’s was honored with the Alex’s Crystal Cup Award this past weekend at the 13th annual Lemon Ball in Philadelphia. The event raises nearly $1 million every year towards pediatric cancer research. During this event, these incredibly resilient children share their stories and the impact Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has made on their lives. And how we all can help, one cup at a time.

Since partnering with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in 2011, Auntie Anne’s has raised more than $4.2 million. Our corporate team has raised money through golf tournaments, penny wars, running/walking/biking towards a cure, silent auctions, and more. Our stores and incredibly generous franchisees and crew members have raised money by selling lemon icons, one dollar at a time. Our top store last year raised more than $9,000. The crew gets behind the effort 100%. It’s so powerful to see the impact a group of people can make when they rally around a cause. One cup at a time.

When I think about my own life, I count my blessings and remember that I have so much to be grateful for, even on those days when things don’t go quite as planned. I have healthy children, a beautiful grandson, an incredible husband, and I get to spend my days working with the most amazing people in the world at Auntie Anne’s. I’m thankful for each and every day and I realize that not everyone is as fortunate. That’s why it’s so important for my husband Dan and me to give back to charities like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, both financially and with our time.

Regardless of your charity or cause of choice, I encourage you to make a commitment this year to give back in your community. You’ll feel good about your giving, and you’ll be helping those less fortunate. It doesn’t take much, just your commitment. One hour, one dollar, one cup at a time.