EAST POINT, Ga. — In an effort to acknowledge and support the exponential increase in selfless and entrepreneurial acts by America’s youth during the pandemic, Baskin-Robbins created the ’Pint-Sized Heroes’ campaign this year.
For nearly eight years, local youth, Chris ‘CJ’ Matthews has run his non-profit, “Blankies 4 My Buddies,” which collects and distributes donated blankets to children dealing with traumatic situations in order to provide them with a bit of comfort.
“The way that we're selecting kids to nominate or to recognize is really just a measure of how much positivity they're bringing into their communities,” said Katie Gaston, Field Marketing Manager for Dunkin’ Brands and Baskin-Robbins.
“Our ‘Pint-Sized Hero’ program is really about recognizing that younger generation. We're just looking to help bolster his initiative.”
Earlier this year, CJ and his family wanted to find additional ways to provide comfort to children in need. Blankies 4 My Buddies created ‘COVID Comfort Bags’ that included items like books, toys, snacks, and hygiene products for children sheltering in place. He even partnered with the Fulton County School District to deliver meals to kids during the pandemic.
To recognize and support each Pint-Sized Hero’s efforts, the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation makes a monetary donation in the whopping amount of $5,000 in each hero’s name to a local charity of their choosing. As an additional ‘thank you’, Baskin-Robbins also grants each ‘Pint-Sized Hero’ with a year’s worth of free ice cream.
For CJ’s charity of choice, he selected local non-profit H2H (Here to Help) Inc., who had this to say about CJ’s gracious $5,000 donation to their organization.
“On behalf of H2H and more importantly to the people we serve, a wholehearted thanks to CJ, Blankies 4 My Buddies and Baskin-Robbins. We're honored and couldn't be more thankful,” praises Sedrick Ward, CEO of H2H Inc.
CJ is the first youth in the entire Atlanta metro area to be awarded his honor and the fifth nationwide.
For more information about Pint-Sized Heroes, click here or for more info about the Blankies 4 My Buddies, visit their website.
Want more Tri-Cities news? Like us on Facebook.