GUSTINE — What started as a summer boredom buster has blossomed into a small business with a big heart for Fatima Blanco, a fourth-grade student at Gustine Elementary.
Fatima opened a lemonade stand outside her family’s Jensen Avenue home just before the Fourth of July, using lemons picked from her grandparents’ trees. Inspired by lemonade stands she’d seen in books, she decided to launch her own—and quickly found herself with regular customers, a growing menu, and a mission to give back.
“When we went with my grandparents, they have like two big lemon trees, and I always pick like tons of lemons,” Fatima said. “One day I was bored and because I've seen a lot of lemonade stands in books, well, I thought, why can't I make a lemonade stand on my own? And then we just added on to the idea.”
Fatima expanded her stand recently to include slushies after saving up to buy a Ninja slushie machine. She now operates two to three afternoons a week, often posting updates on the Gustine Community Facebook page. Her stand accepts cash and mobile payments, and she’s become a familiar face to neighbors and passersby.
But Fatima’s business isn’t just about selling drinks. After noticing the community pantry on Lucerne Avenue was nearly empty, she began using part of her earnings to stock it with food. Her father, Valentin Blanco encouraged the idea as a way to teach her about giving back.
“We stopped by the pantry and saw it was empty,” he said. “So, we talked about using some of her weekend earnings to buy supplies and refill it. It’s about showing her the full circle—earning money and using it to help others.”
Fatima said donating felt good, and she’s proud to be raising awareness for the pantry. During a recent walk, she noticed others asking where it was so they could contribute too.
“It felt good, knowing that what I was doing was going to help someone else,” Fatima said.
In addition to teaching his daughter how to manage money and start conversations with customers, Valentin Blanco said the stand has helped them all meet more people in Gustine than ever before. “We’ve been here five years, and I think we’ve met more people doing this than any other time,” he said.
She’s not sure what she wants to be when she grows up, but business ownership might be on the table. For now, she’s focused on serving up cold drinks, helping her community, and getting ready for the fourth grade.
