(NAPSI)-Aside from juice, profit and fun, another thing your child can squeeze from his or her lemonade stand is an appreciation of the value of giving. Simply put, lemonade stands have become a unique way for children to become philanthropists by donating what they make to charity.

According to studies, today’s youths are more involved in philanthropy than ever before. As youngsters become more aware of social issues around the world, programs such as Sunkist’s Take A Stand provide children with a voice and role in the community. This year once again, kids are being encouraged to kick off lemonade stand season by learning about the joys of giving. So children can support worthy causes more safely, Sunkist offers these safety tips:

Safety Tips

• Always wash your hands with hot soapy water before preparing food.

• If your hair is long, tie it back or wear a cap.

• Have an adult help you slice the lemons, using a sharp knife and a clean cutting board.

• Use plastic pitchers and paper cups instead of glass.

• Cover the lemonade and ice cubes between servings to keep the bugs out.

• Use a ladle or tongs to serve ice.

• Never operate your lemonade stand alone. Have your friends and older brothers and sisters help. Ask your parents or another adult to supervise your sale.

• Set your stand up in your front yard or in an area where there are lots of people.

• Never approach anyone in a car to make a sale.

Remember, your stand does not have to be elaborate; a card table, a chair, a sign and some balloons still do the trick. To help, Sunkist offers “Lemonade For Sale” signs, and a guide to help young philanthropists price lemonade, on its Web site.

For more tips, visit www.sunkist.com/takeastand. While supplies last, kids can also visit that Web site and sign up for a free lemonade stand if they pledge to donate their proceeds to a charitable cause.

Never operate your lemonade stand alone. Have friends and older siblings help. And never approach a car to make a sale.

This posting is sponsored by the Family Cookbook Project which helps families and small groups create personalized cookbooks that are easy and affordable.