Nearly 150 floral industry businesses from 35 states and two countries — the U.S. and Canada — have so far committed to participating in the Society of American Florists’ Petal It Forward event on Oct. 21. Through the feel-good giveaway, participating industry members hand out two bouquets or flowers to surprised recipients, one to keep and one to pass on to someone else. This year’s initiative has been reimagined to comply with pandemic restrictions, and there’s still time for additional businesses to sign on, said SAF’s CEO Kate Penn.
“Petal It Forward is especially timely this year, as so many Americans grapple with the mental health effects of the pandemic,” said Penn. “As an industry, we know that flowers inspire calm and help generate all kinds of positive feelings — SAF university research proves it! Petal It Forward is an ideal way to safely and effectively share that message in local communities.”
Industry members from all segments are again participating in the outreach this year, along with students and next-gen professionals eager to share their love of flowers.
Last October, for example, Katie Philipsek saw not one but three different news segments of smiling Minnesotans who’d been surprised with two bouquets during the 2019 Petal It Forward initiative. “I got goosebumps,” she said.
Click here to read more at SAF.org.