Pint-Sized Hero Kaiyi Yang from Pleasanton, California

The Pint-Sized Hero program continues! We’re excited to honor a seventh young philanthropist using their passion and creativity to give back. Joining the cohort of heroes is Kaiyi Yang, a 10-year-old from Pleasanton, California.

Kaiyi began his journey helping others nearly five months ago, when he learned that because of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students didn’t have the technology needed for distance learning, while others were unable to afford school tuition altogether. Kaiyi began creating rock art, selling his creations and donating the proceeds to the Valley Montessori’s Community Fund, a fund created by his school to help cover students’ tuition and technology costs.

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Beyond contributing to the fund itself, Kaiyi’s rock art has inspired positivity through fun designs and the uplifting messages he paints on each rock. The rocks have brought Kaiyi’s community together, popping up in gardens and windows throughout his neighborhood, offering socially-distanced words of encouragement. Over the past few months, Kaiyi has made and sold over 50 rock creations to friends, family and neighbors to help support his classmates.

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To recognize Kaiyi’s dedication to his community and to celebrate his accomplishments, Kaiyi will get free ice cream for a year and the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation is paying his good deeds forward with a $5,000 donation to The Valley Montessori School Community Impact Fund.

When he’s not painting rocks and helping those around him, Kaiyi still enjoys the arts. He’s been creating art for five years and likes to make acrylic paintings and pencil drawings for fun. Kaiyi also loves soccer and has been playing the sport for three years. With his year of free ice cream, he plans to indulge in his two favorite flavors, Mint Chocolate Chip and Rocky Road.

“We are so happy to be able to recognize Kaiyi and his efforts to give back to the Pleasanton community,” said Jordan Giang, Baskin-Robbins Franchisee in Pleasanton, CA. “Kaiyi is such a caring and smart individual who is using his talents for good, and we couldn’t be prouder to have him as a part of the Baskin-Robbins family.

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For more information on the Pint-Sized Heroes initiative and to recognize a pint-sized hero in your community visit www.pintsizedheroes.com. You can also support the program by donating to the Pint-Sized Heroes Fund at www.joyinchildhoodfoundation.org/baskin-robbins-pint-sized-heroes.