You just never know when inspiration will come! The Flower Shuttle program for Raleigh, NC was inspired by an article in Oprah Magazine in February of 2006. The article told the story of a woman in NYC who was appalled at the number of flowers thrown away after events. She began a foundation to recycle flowers to those in need. This article became the catalyst for the birth of The Flower Shuttle.
Organizers sought help from Raleigh Moravian Church which agreed to support this program as a Community Outreach Project. Raleigh Moravian Church and its Women's Ministry gave $700 in seed money to start The Flower Shuttle in March of 2006. Raleigh Moravian also continues to donate the use of their Fellowship Hall for the volunteers to work in each week.
Thanks to 75+ Flower Shuttle volunteers, flowers that were being thrown away after special events, funerals, and weddings are now recycled to people living with sickness, terminal illness, poverty and disability. Our recipients include Hospice, Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, Wake Med, Capital Towers, Raleigh Dialysis, Meals On Wheels, Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen, Urban Ministries, Duke Children's Hospital, the VA Hospital, nursing homes, cancer centers and rehab centers, to name a few! |
