Special smoothie benefits Kids Helping Kids

GREENWICH — Award-winning local restaurateur Marc Penvenne has partnered with Kids Helping Kids in creating a special smoothie drink to help raise awareness and funds for the Stamford-based nonprofit that serves lower Fairfield County.

Through the end of the year, a portion of the proceeds of Meli-Melo gift cards and the Youth Empowerment smoothie drink will go to the nonprofit that helps kids develop leadership skills.

“Kids Helping Kids is thrilled to partner with Meli-Melo on a new fundraising initiative,” KHK Executive Director Jennifer Bentley said. KHK was founded by Lexi Kelley, who at age 12 suffered severe injuries in a car accident and spent a lot of time in the hospital recovering.

“Lexi said it was all the little acts of kindness that she received from her family and friends that inspired her to create a platform where kids could feel the power that they have to make a difference,” Bentley said.

Today, 11 years since its launch, the KHK mission is to develop leadership skills through youth-led service projects. Volunteers work together to plan meaningful projects to benefit underserved children in the community. During the project planning process, they are developing critical life skills such as communication, confidence, public speaking and accountability.

The Meli-Melo juice bar smoothie drink named Youth Empowerment, by a KHK Youth Advisory Council member, Sophia Camodeo, is made with fresh raspberry, pineapple and apple. A percentage from the sales of this smoothie will support KHK programs. In addition, 5 percent from $50 and 10 percent from $100 Meli-Melo gift card sales will also be donated back to the organization.

“We are happy to help the community, especially kids,” said Penvenne. “Meli-Melo started out as a 12-seat creperie over twoand-a-half decades ago and our main customer base were kids and teens. ... Supporting this demographic is important, they are the future, and we’re happy to help raise awareness for this valuable program.”

For more information on Meli-Melo, visit melimelogreenwich.com.

For more information on Kids Helping Kids, visit: www.kidshelpingkidsct.org.