Crafty Kid

Christian Ramos, 9, lives in Hamburg, New York. He’s a big fan of his local football team, the Buffalo Bills. He’s also into crafting. He combined these two interests into a service project: making and selling Bills-themed souvenirs for charity.

“We started off with ornaments,” Christian told TIME for Kids. “Then we did bracelets and coozies [sleeves that keep drinks cold]. We did magnets and then a billion other things.” He and his mom sell the items online and at craft fairs for $5 each. Bracelets are best-sellers. Christian uses red and blue beads for the Bills team colors. He adds white letter and number beads to insert “Go Bills” or players’ names or jersey numbers.

Last year, sales topped $1,500. Christian donated the money to the Patricia Allen Fund. It benefits patients at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital (OCH), in Buffalo. Giving “makes me feel good,” Christian says.

BIG CHECK Christian Ramos presents a check for the amount he donated to a children’s hospital in 2023.

Helping Kids

Christian started fundraising at age 6. He loves his cats, Ozzie and Gracie. So his first donation, of $500, went to the Ten Lives Club. It’s the cat adoption group where his family got Gracie.

The next year, Christian gave to the Patricia Allen Fund. “I wanted to help the kids,” he says. Plus, the fund is supported by Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He’s Christian’s favorite player.

JUST KEEP BEADING Christian beads a bracelet that he’ll sell to raise money for charity.

Dr. Stephen Turkovich is president of OCH. He says the Patricia Allen Fund is “very much dedicated to critical care,” helping kids recover from injuries and major illnesses. Donations like Christian’s make this work possible.

Game On

Christian’s fundraising goal for 2024 is to “beat last year.” His sister, Irena, is helping. According to Christian, he and Irena spend about 30 minutes a week crafting items for sale. Their mom, Stephanie Ramos, says they sometimes devote more time to the effort. “He really takes advantage when we have real bad snowy weather,” she says. “They just camp out at the dining room table. They’ve got their beads all over the place!”

READY TO SELL Christian and his sister, Irena, offer homemade crafts at a market in Derby, New York, on August 22.

Christian remembers a customer who “wanted me to make, like, four Mahomes bracelets,” he says. Patrick Mahomes is quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. The request makes Christian cringe. “They’re kind of our rival team,” his mom explains. “But he did it for the donation.”

Raising money for the hospital is what matters most to Christian. With his sister’s help, he has expanded his product range. “She makes Taylor Swift bracelets,” Christian says.

By mid-September, Christian had already raised $1,200. He’s on track to make his biggest donation yet.

Inspired?

Let Christian’s story inspire you to take action in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can raise funds for a cause you care about.