Ruby Dismondy loves making all kinds of crafts.
The fourth-grader started by looming bracelets and necklaces, and eventually worked her way up to ironing beads to make little figurines and keychains.
"Ruby's like every other 9-year-old," said her mom, Maria. "And I think that's just the nature of a 9 year old. They see something and their eyes glisten with excitement and they want it."
With so many of Ruby's crafts piling up in their home, the young entrepreneur had an idea.
"She wanted to sell her products," Maria said. "They were all over the house, and so this idea was exciting for me as a parent. My husband said, 'I'm going to take care of this. I'm going to set up a store for her.'"
The online store -- Ruby's Crafts for Kids -- is up and running on Etsy. Ruby doesn't make any money, though. All sales go to support St. Jude's Children's Hospital, one of her family's favorite helping organizations.
At first, Maria said she was surprised by the decision, though the family has always made a point to work on service projects together.
"I think as parents if we want our children to be kind and caring individuals we have to show them that," Maria said. "So instead of just putting money toward organizations, we try to find things that the kids can actually do. And do we've been doing that since she was a little girl."
For Ruby, that's translated at a young age to a sense of giving back and helping those in need. Learning to use a passion for others is an impressive accomplishment for one so young.
"I think it's important for parents to know service projects for kids it's not a huge to-do," Maria said. "They can do simple things."
"It's that act of kindness," she added. "And that's how we're going to raise our kind and caring generation."
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