Project Lemonade founded in 2008
Emily Nelson founded Project Lemonade in 2008 after an extended family member needed her to take their children in to her home for half a year. The experiences she had with these children gave her the desire to create opportunities for underprivileged children to build their self confidence by developing their talents and coming to the realization they have a choice to overcome the adversity in their life.
Making the decision to start a non-profit organization was the easy part for Emily. How to bring awareness to this vision was a little harder. In early 2008 she decided she would compete in the Mrs. Utah US pageant with the goal of using that stage to promote her platform of overcoming adversity.
As Emily dove into the pageant she chose to title her platform, "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade: Accepting and Overcoming Adversity." Shortly there after Project Lemonade was born. In May 2008 she officially founded Project Lemonade and won the Mrs. Utah US pageant. Since that time she and her family have been helping the children of Utah overcome their adversity and develop self confidence by hosting educational opportunities through sports, the arts, and mentoring programs.