CANTON, Mass., May 18, 2020 — All across America, there are young people making big differences in their communities, proving that you don’t have to be grown-up to step up. From care package creators, to face shield printers, and nature photography curators, Baskin-Robbins’ new “Pint-Sized Heroes” charitable program celebrates the extraordinary, passionate, creative, and thoughtful young people who are giving back to their communities during the pandemic.
As a place where kids of all ages gather to celebrate, Baskin-Robbins is committed to shining a bright light on the incredible acts of kindness of “Pint-Sized Heroes” nationwide, in hopes that their stories inspire others to do the same. The Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation is making a $5,000 donation in each hero’s name to a charity of their choice, and in true Baskin-Robbins fashion, the brand is treating them to a year of free ice cream as a sweet “thank you.”
The first “Pint-Sized Heroes” include four elementary and middle school students who are helping those in need during COVID-19 and beyond:
- Liv Khoury of Berkley, MI: This fourth-grade student has taken her love for art and photography and turned it into a way to help those who need it most. Inspired by her daily family walks and recognizing how many people long to be outside, Liv began photographing nature and hosting virtual art shows, selling her prints to raise money for charity. Liv’s fans – located all over the world, from her neighborhood in Michigan to France – have helped her raise over $2,000 in donations for local food banks and nonprofits.
- Joshua Runde of Pompano Beach, FL: This year, Joshua should have been competing in the 2020 VEX Robotics World Championship; instead, the seventh grader is using his engineering talents to give back. With the help of his robotics coach and the money from his own piggybank, Joshua has created 3D-printed face shields and donated hundreds of them to frontline workers from his hometown to the Florida Keys.
- Jahkil Jackson of Chicago, IL: Jahkil now in the seventh grade, has been giving back to his community since he was eight years old and has already founded his own nonprofit. As the creator of “Project I AM,” Jahkil distributes “Blessing Bags” of essential toiletries to the homeless and senior centers in his neighborhood. Despite having asthma, the Chicago native has safely doubled down on his cause during COVID-19 and enlisted his family to help him deliver “Blessing Bags.”
- Brayden Pape of San Diego, CA: When eighth grader Brayden realized some of his classmates would miss meals because of school closures, he started collecting thousands of dollars in gift cards and donated groceries to supplement the meals his school has already started distributing to the community. After weeks of reaching out to as many local businesses as he could, Brayden has collected over $5,000 worth of food and gift card donations to help support the children in his local San Diego community.
“We’re happy to recognize these young philanthropists and their entrepreneurial spirit,” said Shannon Blakely, Vice President of Marketing at Baskin-Robbins. “Liv, Joshua, Jahkil and Brayden have been using their incredible talents to creatively and selflessly give back to those in need. Acknowledging these Pint-Sized Heroes is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to these amazing kids, inspiring us all to step up in our communities whether our contribution is big, small, or pint-sized.”
For more information on the Pint-Sized Heroes initiative and to recognize a pint-sized hero in your community visit www.pintsizedheroes.com. You can also support the program by donating to the Pint-Sized Heroes Fund at www.joyinchildhoodfoundation.org/baskin-robbins-pint-sized-heroes. Follow our heroes’ journeys on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BaskinRobbins), Twitter (www.twitter.com/BaskinRobbins) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/BaskinRobbins).
About Baskin-Robbins
Named a top snack and beverage franchise in the United States by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2019, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. Baskin-Robbins creates and markets innovative, premium hard scoop ice cream, a full range of beverages and a delicious lineup of desserts including custom ice cream cakes, the Polar Pizza® Ice Cream Treat and take-home ice cream quarts and pints, providing quality and value to consumers at more than 8,100 retail shops in 52 countries worldwide. Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,300 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats. Headquartered in Canton, Mass., Baskin-Robbins is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.BaskinRobbins.com.
