With one week to go, more than 485 floral industry businesses from 42 states and two countries have signed on to Petal It Forward in their communities on Oct. 21. The feel-good initiative, spearheaded by the Society of American Florists, has taken on new urgency this year at a time when many people are feeling the mental toll of the ongoing pandemic.
This year’s event has generated interest from industry companies that have long participated —and organizations and businesses that are new to the effort.
When Kelly Krenzel, founder of Hope Blooms, learned about Petal It Forward earlier this year, she immediately wanted to be a part of the movement. The goodwill initiative aligned perfectly with her nonprofit’s year-round mission: to change people’s lives with small acts of kindness. “We use flowers as the mechanics to let people know they matter and they are not alone,” she said.
Additionally, Krenzel knows wholeheartedly that flowers bring joy to both the recipient and the giver, and she wants more people to experience how good it feels to brighten someone else’s day. “Petal It Forward is the perfect way for us to really plug in and elevate our everyday mission by working through the larger platform that the Society of American Florists provides,” she said.
Read more at the Society of American Florists (Katie Vincent)