A 6-year-old girl turns lemonade profits into a gift for the homeless

Milla Burkholder and her mother Jacqueline are all smiles on March 16 after delivering a $470 donation to help the homeless. Milla raised the money by setting up a lemonade stand in front of her house. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)

By John Shaughnessy

Six-year-old Milla Burkholder wasn’t seeking recognition when she showed up to donate $470 to help people who are homeless.

Milla had raised that amount of money on Feb. 28—the day before she turned 6—by setting up a lemonade stand in front of her house near Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis.

And when Milla and her mother Jacqueline came to the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center in Indianapolis on March 16, the plan was to quietly drop off a card and the money to someone at Catholic Charities.

Yet when the center’s receptionist, Helen James, learned what Milla had done, she thought the girl’s generosity should be recognized “because we need good stories these days.” So James called The Criterion in the hope that Milla’s story would be told.

And that’s how Milla suddenly found herself being photographed with Heidi Smith, the director of the refugee resettlement program of the archdiocese’s Catholic Charities.

Asked how she felt about raising $470 in two hours by selling raspberry lemonade and regular lemonade, Milla flashed a terrific smile, said “Good!” and raised both her thumbs up. Then the kindergarten student at Immaculate Heart of Mary School turned the interview over to her mother.

“Her friend let us borrow the lemonade stand,” Jacqueline said. “We couldn’t decide what to do for a party, and she’s always wanted to have a lemonade stand, and the weather was so nice. Her big sister Stella—she’s 10—has always sold flowers from our garden to help Catholic Charities. This was Milla’s time to shine.”

Jacqueline said that “giving back” is a goal that she and her husband Matt try to teach their children.

“It’s important that they learn to give back, and we always let them choose the way they want to do that. It’s usually Catholic Charities.

“Whatever your talents are, whatever your age is, you can always do something for others, even if it isn’t money. It’s something you can do your whole life.”

Sitting on her mother’s lap, with her mom’s arms wrapped around her, Milla beamed a beautiful smile.

On a day when she gave a present to help people who are homeless, Milla knew the gift of feeling at home. †