Kids in DeKalb use lemonade stands to support children in ICE custody

Sen. Elena Parent (center) tweeted about her visit to a lemonade stand in DeKalb County, where the proceeds will be donated to support children in ICE custody.

Credit: Courtesy of Sen. Elena Parent

Credit: Courtesy of Sen. Elena Parent

Sen. Elena Parent (center) tweeted about her visit to a lemonade stand in DeKalb County, where the proceeds will be donated to support children in ICE custody.

Families across DeKalb County sold lemonade over the weekend to raise money for young people who are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The fundraisers were part of a nationwide effort on Saturday and Sunday called “Kids Take a Stand,” which aimed to “raise awareness of the ongoing separation of migrant children from their families and the current plight of children in detention centers across the country,” according to Lawyer Moms Foundation, the organizing group.

The money made from the lemonade stands will be donated to Rio Grande Valley Rapid Response and Kids in Need of Defense, organizations that support immigrants and refugees coming across the U.S. border and provide legal aid to unaccompanied children.

On Twitter, elected officials in DeKalb posted about lemonade stands they visited over the weekend. State Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, paid a visit to one in the North Decatur area, and Rep. Matthew Wilson, D-Brookhaven, went to a stand in Brookhaven.

“It was so wonderful to see members of my community recognize the plight of these kids and say, ‘Listen we want to help them so that their lives — as long as they're in U.S. custody — that their lives are better,’” Parent told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Lawyer Moms said its weekend "Kids Take a Stand" fundraisers amassed more than $55,000 in donations, though they are still taking contributions online.

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