2024 ESG Report
4-year-old Charlotte celebrates birthday with PC Children’s CharityTM
June 22, 2020
Little Charlotte may have turned four earlier this year, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to give, rather than receive, on her big day.
Charlotte’s mother, Sarah, used her daughter's birthday as a teachable moment to explain that not everyone has the same experiences.
"Charlotte is very empathetic, and I think it's important to nurture her empathy and show her that she can help people, even though she's only four."
Charlotte wanted to help those less fortunate and she decided that instead of presents, she wanted her family and friends to make a donation to President's Choice Children's Charity.
Charlotte chose to donate to PC Children's CharityTM because she wanted to do something that would help other kids, and her mom explained how the charity helps feed kids who don't have enough to eat.
Charlotte raised $250 during her birthday fundraiser, but it didn't stop there. Sarah wanted Charlotte to understand exactly how the money would be used to help other kids, so she asked the President's Choice Children’s Charity team if they would be willing to talk to Charlotte — and they were more than happy to oblige.
"Our hearts were so full when we got the email from Sarah about Charlotte's wonderfully generous birthday," says Lisa Battistelli-Brown, executive director for President's Choice Children's Charity. "We were so excited to have the chance to thank her directly and tell her how much her donation was going to mean to other kids."
Because of COVID-19, they couldn’t meet the little girl in real life. Instead, Lisa and the team set up a special belated birthday video conference for Charlotte and sent her a package of goodies to show their appreciation. One of the gifts was a hand-drawn poster from a child around Charlotte's age who has benefited from PC Children's Charity programs, which Charlotte immediately put up in her room.
"We already know it takes a village to feed our kids, but during COVID-19, it's especially important to remember that we're all in this together," says Lisa. "That was the message we wanted to give Charlotte, that as long as we keep helping each other, things will get better."
