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Dream Foundation’s
Flower Empower Luncheon Will Raise Funds for Community
Program that Delivers Hope and Compassion to Thousands of
Local Residents
Annual event celebrates dedicated volunteers
who assemble and deliver 150 fresh bouquets a week to
hospices, cancer centers, nursing homes and personal
residences throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura County
Dream
Foundation — the only national dream-granting organization
for adults and their families battling life-threatening
illness—will hold its 5th Annual
Flower Empower Luncheon on Wednesday, May 13th.
Net proceeds from the event are vital to supporting the
volunteer-driven program.
“Flower
Empower would not be possible without the compassion and
energy of our volunteers,” says Kisa Heyer, Dream Foundation
Executive Director. “We are tremendously grateful to the
businesses and individuals who generously donate their time,
goods and services to make a difference in this community we
cherish.”
Flower
Empower Facts:
· Flower
Empower delivers locally grown flowers, fresh-baked cookies,
gourmet chocolates and cards made by young volunteers to
anyone from Goleta to Ventura in need of cheer.
· This
year’s program sponsors are Santa Barbara residents, Tim &
Diane Brown and George & Lisa Hagerman.
· Two
days a week, roughly 15 volunteers gather at designated
locations to assemble bouquets with flowers donated by a
dozen local growers and distributors.
· Flower
Empower referrals come from cancer centers, nurses, doctors,
hospices, elder support organizations and the community at
large.
· Flower
Empower recipients do not need to be suffering from a
life-threatening illness, as the recipients of Dream
Foundation’s primary Dream Granting Program do.
· The
program currently delivers to 29 facilities in addition to
private residences.
· In
2014, Flower Empower delivered, on average, 150 bouquets
each week and since its inception, 20 year ago, tens of
thousands.
While Flower
Empower was designed to remind recipients that they are
surrounded by a community that cares, it has evolved into
much more.
Cards
handmade by elementary through high school aged children
accompany every bouquet delivered. Through this card-making
effort, Flower Empower imparts the importance of giving back
to local school children. The program highlights the value
of assisting others, which can be fundamental to building
confidence and self-esteem among young children.
“There’s so much children can gain from
volunteering and it’s never too early to get them involved
with causes that are meaningful,” Heyer adds. “We are
so grateful to the schools that participate in Flower
Empower and are thrilled that our card-making activities can
help teach children
about the importance of giving back to the community, along
with the intrinsic rewards that come with helping others."
Flower
Empower also plays an important role in employee engagement
programs for local businesses. Creating bouquets with
co-workers provides an opportunity to build relationships,
deepen engagement, and inspire and energize a workforce.
“At Deckers, community outreach and volunteerism is a very
big part of our company. For our employees, Flower Empower
is an opportunity to put their creativity to use in a new
way and to also spend some time getting to know each other
better. After our last Flower Empower event, I delivered
about 25 bouquets to several locations. It was so uplifting
to see the smiling faces of the recipients and to know that
this happened because my co-workers here at Deckers Brands
care so much about our community,” says
Barbara Allcock an employee of Deckers Brands who has been a
Dream Foundation volunteer since 2006.
Flower
Empower does more than deliver flowers. It teaches empathy,
builds youth confidence, raises social awareness, and helps
strengthen and build community.
Flower
Empower receives no federal or state funding, relying solely
on corporate and individual contributions and grants. Dream
Foundation hopes to raise awareness and its impact with its
5th Annual
Luncheon.
Ticketing
information for the 5th Annual
Flower Empower Luncheon will be available soon.
For
sponsorship information, please contact Stefani Canin-Mullen
at
stefanie@dreamfoundation.org
For more
information about the program please visit
www.dreamfoundation.org/flower-empower
About
Dream Foundation
The first
and largest national dream-granting organization for adults,
Dream Foundation enhances the quality of life for
individuals and their families battling life-threatening
illness. Dream recipients are those individuals who have
been given a year or less life expectancy. Dreams range from
basic need items, like a working stove, to bedside reunions
and meaning experiences with children and loved ones.
Founded in
1994, Dream Foundation serves more than 2,500 dreams each
year and relies on a network of volunteers, sponsors, and
individual donors.
For more
information, visit
www.dreamfoundation.org
or call (805)
564-2131.
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