You’ll never guess what The Hidden Good are using to bring some cheer to nursing homes!
Do you have a date planned for 14 February? If you don’t, keep calm and show some love, because only in giving that we find love…and sometimes, in the most unexpected places.
We got wind of a brilliant initiative that involves flower arrangement – at zero cost. Yes, you read correctly, we said FREE! The only commitment is a few hours of your time. But come on, that’s definitely a better deal than spending a hundred bucks on a bouquet of flowers!
Why #FloralFundays?
Started by The Hidden Good, #FloralFundays started with a very simple aim: to spread joy from one happy occasion to the other. The do-gooders were inspired by an Upworthy video that showcased how a florist in the United States used flowers from weddings and repurposed them into a meaningful gift that was sent to hospitals and nursing homes.
We had a chance to speak to one of their directors, Jiezhen, who hopes this initiative will:
1. Spread joy to the elderly who might not usually receive flowers
2. Reduce wastage of fresh flowers that couples spend so much money on for their weddings
3. Gather groups of people in a unique way to volunteer and give back – and allow them to connect in a way that opens up dialogue and conversations
Who are the recipients?
Givers donate the fresh flowers to The Hidden Good. The team of volunteers then repurpose and arrange them into little posies that are given out to nursing homes or eldercare centres the next day. So far, they’ve worked with nursing homes such as Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home, Lions Home for the Aged, All Saints Home (Tampines) and All Saints Home (Jurong East).
A memorable experience
It isn’t always the beneficiaries who are at the receiving end.
Once, the team experienced a touching moment when an uncle residing at Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home made a special request to the volunteers. He wanted them to give the bouquets to the nurses of the home, to thank them for taking care of the residents. Talk about paying it forward!
Moments like these have touched more than just the lives of beneficiaries.
Spread love this February!
While this floral distribution activity takes place once a month (mostly on weekends and occasionally on weekdays), #FloralFundays depend highly on the donors to keep this initiative going. If you are a florist with leftover flowers or a couple getting married, this is a meaningful way to recycle your flowers instead of throwing them away.
Know of anyone getting married? Or someone who would like to gift their flowers to #FloralFundays? Get in touch with The Hidden Good here. Find out more about what The Hidden Good does here.
