Item 7j — Lomita City Council, May 2, 2023

1 TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Juan Ibarra, Administrative Analyst
MEETING DATE: May 2, 2023
SUBJECT: 2023 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence Application

RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file the 2023 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence application.

BACKGROUND
Established in 1982 by the League of California Cities, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program recognizes outstanding achievements by California’s 482 cities.

These winning cities have made unique contributions to community residents and businesses. The purpose of the Helen Putnam Award for excellence program is to recognize and promote the outstanding efforts and innovative solutions by city governments. The Helen Putnam Award highlights three core values. 1) Improve the quality of life in local communities 2) Implement efficiencies in service delivery and operation 3) provide services responsive to the community.

DISCUSSION
The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence is an annual award with several categories that city governments may choose to enter. The categories are the following: Cal Cities Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations, Community Services, and Economic Development, Economic Development through the Arts, Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement, Health and Wellness Programs, Housing Programs and Innovations, Intergovernmental Collaboration, Health and Wellness Programs, Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government, and various others.

The City applied for the Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government, and the application is centered on Lemonade Day Lomita. The city's application is broken down into three components. The challenge describes the need or concern that prompted the program's development. The solution explains the city's steps to address the problem

CITY OF LOMITA

CITY COUNCIL REPORT
Item No. 7j
2 and challenge of engaging youth within the community around them, and participation/connection with local organizations. The last component of the application outlined the results of Lemonade Day Lomita and the program’s effect on the community.

Below is a brief description of Lemonade Day:

Lemonade Day is a fun, experiential program that teaches kids how to start, own and operate their very own business: a lemonade stand. The program builds self-reliance and financial literacy and introduces important business & entrepreneurial skills. Children experience a new level of confidence and see new possibilities for their future as leaders, volunteers, and forward-thinking citizens.

The City of Lomita’s application (attached to this report) was submitted on April 13, 2023, via an online portal. Staff will monitor and check the status of the application as results will be posted on the online portal.

OPTIONS
None. Information only. Receive and file.

FISCAL IMPACT
None. Information only. Receive and file.

ATTACHMENTS

1. 2023 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence City application Approved by:
___________________________ __________________________
Gary Y. Sugano Ryan Smoot
Assistant City Manager City Manager
Prepared by:

__________________________
Juan Ibarra
Administrative Analyst
4/13/23, 1:12 PM Helen Putnam Award of Excellence
https://www.helenputnam.org/view.php?aid=2463&print=1 1/4 2023 Application for the City of Lomita
Application Reference
Your Profile | Print Application
Name of City:

City of Lomita
Current Population:
20,921
City General Fund Budget:
13,851,603
Category of Entry:

Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government Brief Description of the Program:

Narrative:

Youth Involvement, civic engagement, and participation in organizations and social groups have steadily decreased over the years. The decrease in youth participation is an overarching problem in our society, and its effects spread to various components within and outside local government and communities. Youth engagement programs are a vital part of our society, and new innovative programs can be a powerful tool to combat the decline in youth participation. Youth programs can serve as an instrument to increase youth involvement and be a platform to teach our young citizens other positive and powerful lessons.

The City of Lomita values the connections that make our community strong and the ideals that keep our local businesses, schools, government organizations and community groups connected and thriving. These connections are the backbone of the ability for a community to not just continue to function, but to thrive.

Lomita understands the importance of civic engagement from all of our community members, from seniors to young adults to children of all ages. Children are the future of our community, and it is incumbent upon us to build in them the necessary skills and values that will continue to sustain our communities.

Lomita is acknowledging the severity of the issue and implemented a youth engagement program that not only increases youth involvement in the community, but equally as important, teaches our young citizens the understanding of basic business and economic principles such as saving goals, planning, budgeting, evaluating business results, accounting, and reinvesting back into our communities all of which are the bedrocks of modern society. To establish a successful youth program, it must be implemented with a basis that the children are going to experience several interactions and participation with not just one organization but several organizations including non-profits, local businesses, local agencies and involvement within the community around them. The goal of the program is to give our youth the proper tools to become the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow which in turn boosts continued youth involvement, civic engagement, and participation in the community.

Narrative Solution:
4/13/23, 1:12 PM Helen Putnam Award of Excellence
https://www.helenputnam.org/view.php?aid=2463&print=1 2/4 The City of Lomita is a small-town community where residents easily connect with their neighbors and work locally to support the community around them. Lomita is continuing this tradition by partnering with the Lomita Chamber of Commerce to develop and bring Lemonade Day Lomita to life. Lemonade Day is a free and fun learning program designed to provide youth a hands-on opportunity to be a small business owner for the day.

Children are introduced to entrepreneurship through the real-world experience of starting their own business – a lemonade stand – the quintessential first business for budding entrepreneurs! By running their stand, they learn how to set a goal, make a plan and work the plan to achieve their dreams, all while dreaming, innovating, and gaining the foundational business and life skills needed to prepare them for a lifetime of success. Over the course of a multi-month training and educational program run by local business owners, Chamber/community volunteers, and youth organizations, the program teaches children how to start, own, and operate their very own business through the quintessential starting point for every American small business, the all-powerful lemonade stand. The program culminates with a Saturday full of lemon madness in which the City is inundated with young entrepreneurs setting up small business stands throughout the city and selling their tasty concoctions. The overarching goal of the program is to instill in young entrepreneurs the importance of innovation and the experience of creating a successful enterprise, saving for the future, and reinvesting back into their communities by taking a portion of their profits and donating it to a charity of their choice.

Like any successful small business launch, it requires more than just opening a business and selling a product.

Before the launch of the Lemonade Day event, the Chamber of Commerce partnered with the City of Lomita to hold several introductory sessions in which young entrepreneurs met their sponsors, local business owners and other various members of the community to learn specific business lessons to help them prepare for success on Lemonade Day. Young entrepreneurs took part and studied over 17 different lesson plans that included lessons like creating budgets, setting profit-making goals, serving customers, repaying investors, and giving back to the community. Along the way, they acquire skills in goal-setting, problem solving, and gain self-esteem critical for future success. The young participants also obtained City business licenses and heard from staff about the importance of zoning and community participation. The LA County Health Department showed participants how to abide by proper safe food handling and health guidelines and a local credit union offered “micro loans” (which were ultimately forgiven, of course) to help start their lemonade stand business enterprise.

Additionally, to further increase participation, the City of Lomita hosts the Lemmy Awards event celebration shortly after the program concludes for the year. Lemmy Awards are presented to young entrepreneurs recognizing stand-out achievements in several categories, such as the Mayor’s Award, Lomita Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Lemonade Stand, and many others.

Narrative Results:

Lemonade Day Lomita has been extremely successful in creating youth involvement in the community, establishing connections with local organizations, businesses, various agencies and teaching children basic business and economic principles. Lemonade Day Lomita created tremendous additional activities that further promote participation in the community and discovery of the tools needed to transform individual creativity into a successful business venture, instilling pride and ambition for future endeavors such as best tasting lemonade contest, building a stand demonstration, sign-making workshops, pop-up booths at farmers markets to promote their businesses, and business workshops through strategic lesson-based curriculum - an innovative hybrid of STEM + Social Emotional Learning + project-based education. The program has had substantial success since its introduction in 2021. Over the two years the program has been in the community, more than 200 youth participants have successfully completed the program and run more than 70 lemonade stands throughout our community with over $39,000 total sales across all stands, over $13,000 saved and $8,196 total given to kids' chosen non-profits & charities.

With the help of the Lemonade Day curriculum and the program's teachings of business and economic principles Brianna Garcia, the owner of Bri’s Frozen Lemonades, won the 2021 Lemonade Day Lomita Youth Entrepreneur of the Year and went on to win the National Youth Entrepreneur of the Year. She has since kept her business going strong providing catering services for parties and special events (including the 2021 Lomita State of the City event), creating, and selling her own branded Bri’s merchandise, being interviewed by media and continuing to establish on-going relationships with local businesses, agencies and Lomita residents. Following 4/13/23, 1:12 PM Helen Putnam Award of Excellence
https://www.helenputnam.org/view.php?aid=2463&print=1 3/4 the footsteps of Bri’s Frozen Lemonades, Pearl DiMassa was named the Lomita Youth Entrepreneur of the year for her innovation with her Lucky Lemonade Co. stand during the program’s second year. Pearl's lemonade stand earned over $1,700, which surpassed her projected goal which allowed her to donate more than $1,400 to Harbor Pregnancy Help Center. Pearl presented her experience, feedback, results and future aspirations for herself and her business to the City Council and the Mayor on November 15, 2022. Pearl was received with a standing ovation for her presentation from the audience and city officials.

The program has received positive acclaim from the children, parents, local businesses, local agencies staff, and city officials. In a short span of the program coming to Lomita, the City has seen increased participation in various City events from children and parents. Lemonade Day Lomita has had a multiplier effect on surrounding cities and communities throughout Southern California. Having heard about the program’s success, the Lomita Chamber and City of Lomita have been asked by other City Managers and leaders about how to bring Lemonade Day to their community. Other cities may bring Lemonade Day to their communities, and they can take part in the mission to help today’s youth build self-esteem and new mindsets that can propel youth to success they likely would not have pursued, or known about, otherwise.

You Tube Link:

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Program Information
Name of Program: Lemonade Day Lomita
Date program was implemented: 2021-08-07
Program Contact Person: Heidi Butzine
Title: President & CEO
Address: 2315 Lomita Blvd, Suite #410
City: Lomita
Zip: 90717
Telephone: 424-378-7111
Fax: 424-263-5518
Email Address: [email protected]
Local Media Organizations to Notify
Name:

Fax/Email:

Name:

Fax/Email:

City Manager/Administrator and Mayor
City Mayor's Name: Barry Waite
Phone: 310-325-7110
City Manager's Name: Ryan Smoot
Phone: 310-325-7110
Project Photographs
Image 1 (Bri's Frozen Lemonade Stand Construction Journey):

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Image 2 (Bri's Frozen Lemonade Stand Construction Journey):

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Image 3 (2 Brothers, A Sister, and A Lemonade Stand):
4/13/23, 1:12 PM Helen Putnam Award of Excellence
https://www.helenputnam.org/view.php?aid=2463&print=1 4/4 Download PDF
Image 4 (Golden Jade Lemonade):

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Image 5 (Lemonade PUPS):

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Image 6 (Lemonade Stand):

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Image 7 (Lemonyayde Add some yay to your day):

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Image 8 (Rainbow Lemonade):

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Image 9 (Super Lemonade Bros!):

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Image 10 (Pearl DiMassa City Council Recognition):

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Lomita City CouncilMay 2, 2023

Lomita City Council
May 2, 2023