Utah seventh grader runs donation stand to help families in need
Nov 24, 2025, 6:17 PM
13-year-old Tate Keesler has run a donation stand for the last month. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
(Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
BRIGHAM CITY — A seventh grader in Box Elder County is spending his weekends making life a little easier for his neighbors.
Thirteen-year-old Tate Keesler started “Tate’s Stand” about a month ago after coming up with the idea one day after school.
He and his mom, Tana Keesler give away donated food, hygiene products and jackets to families who need them.
“When the shutdown was happening, that’s when Tateum had come home and said that he wanted to do something,” Tana said. “We had some people in the area that were workers that were not going to be paid. And so it was just something that we felt that was easy for people just right in our neighborhood and our local community, that they can just drive up for help and not have to do anything else other than just get what you need.”
The Keeslers wanted to create a space where people could pick up essentials without an appointment or questions.
“The whole main thing was to try to have something that people could come to … that they didn’t have to ask questions or feel embarrassed,” Tana said.
The Keeslers know what it’s like to struggle.
“Our family has been in a position where we can help, but that hasn’t always been the case,” Tana said.
Since opening, they’ve helped about 50 people — including five families with Thanksgiving meals. Tate even brought hygiene kits to school for classmates.
“We’ve seen a couple people that just, you can see a smile on their face, and it’s just pretty awesome knowing that you just helped a family with a dinner or Thanksgiving,” Tate said.
Tate hopes to keep the stand going “as long as we can.”
“It’s not easy to be a parent sometimes, and we don’t always provide the way that we would like,” Tana said. “But in those moments, if you can just stay strong and keep going, then things like this happen.”
Tana said for some people, it’s easier to donate money than food or clothing items. She said the only legitimate *Venmo for Tate’s Stand is her profile, @Tana-Keesler.
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*KSL NewsRadio does not assure that the money deposited to a Venmo or GoFundMe account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
