Why should the homeless shelter refuse the woman who made the flower arrangements taking them back there with her? Very cruel. Maybe the other women would enjoy them.
Hey, Mr. Billionaire Trump (or Broomberg or Steyer) why don't you set this wonderful therapist up with what she wants and some help (i.e. Money). What about it?
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Absolutely wonderful!
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Very nice.
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Made my day!
6
What a welcome reprieve this story is today. In our tense and stressful times created often by ego and greed, it is a breath of fresh air to read about innovation and creativity for the greater good rather than personal enrichment. Ms. Anderson-Hall is a role model for our times.
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Kaifa Anderson-Hall may well be my new role model: imaginative, resourceful, and spiritually generous. What an inspiration.
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I hope this is a good site. I tried ReVased and was ripped off and disappointed. Flowers were not chosen well and drooped and wilted within 24 hours. $29>00 plus tax for a small bouquet, more like a posey. Good in theory.
Delivery contact was great; quality of blooms wasn't. Maybe this is the better website.
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Beautiful in every way.
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That's fantastic!
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Well-done Ms. Anderson-Hall!!
For a different kind of flower therapy see, e.g.:
I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud
William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
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I love flowers, fresh or dry. It is interesting to see so many people love flowers so much more. The "gently used" flowers are surely good for practicing flower arrangement.
10
This is beautiful. The world needs more like you, Ms. Anderson-Hall.
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How wonderful! There is nothing like a flower to brighten the day!
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What a fabulous idea!! Bringing beauty that would otherwise be lost to folks who need a joy in their life!!
I just made a small donation to Ms. Anderson-Hall's company. Look for the link in the second paragraph.
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Oh what a wonderful story!
THANK YOU, Ms. Perez, for sharing this story, and kudos to Kaifa Anderson-Hall, clearly an awesome blossom in human form. Seeing your smile in the photo gives me the same joy as seeing a rose. And... perfect timing. I needed this!! I suspect we all do right now...
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I work in a small nursery, and many people visit just to get outside, walk around, and enjoy the greenery or the shapes of the trees in winter. Occasionally a blind woman comes in with her friend and enjoys the smells and textures of the plants. Everyone I meet is uplifted by being among the roses and blossoms...that's how magical Ms. Anderson-Hall's idea is.
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one of the theraputic 'activities' at rusk institute, where i had the otherwise misfortune to be nearly 33 years ago, was tending, setting, and starting new plants in the attached greenhouse.
great for helping with dexterity, satisfaction in task completion, and relief at being off the hospital floors for a bit, the 'gardening' absolutely is of benefit.
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I found myself tearing up reading this. What a beautiful practice, and what a beautiful soul Kaifa Anderson-Hall is.
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What a joy to run across this article while obsessing over coronavirus news. Ms. Anderson-Hall is a superhero, brilliant and compassionate. I hope her Bloom Mobile is a reality soon.
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Kaifa is a hero.
Nature, but flowers especially, feed our souls and senses.
What a gift to give these women who otherwise are deprived of the beauty and pleasure of flowers.
I am sending you every wish for continued success.
Now some kind person of means, please step up and purchase a Bloom Mobile for her.
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How lovely, lovely, lovely!
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I love this so much! Last year, I went to have drinks at a beautiful hotel in San Antonio. A wedding had just wrapped and there were flowers as far as the eye could see. Seriously, it looked like about $30K worth of flowers. I asked the concierge what would happen to all of them. She said the family would take a few arrangements and the staff might sneak a few as well, but most would be thrown away—they had to make room for the next wedding at 11 am the next day. She said that's the way it was every weekend. What on earth?! Kaifa is not only finding a second life for these flowers, but giving people an outlet to do something really cool. Arranging flowers is one of my favorite past times. When my friend's mom died a few years ago, I collected up as many of the funeral sprays as I could get in my car and went to Dollar Tree and bought scores of vases. I took everything my friend's house and a group of us dismantled all the arrangements and made beautiful little bouquets in all the Dollar Tree vases. My friend went and distributed them to all of her mom's many friends who were in assisted living and not able to attend the funeral. Not only did it brighten their day, she got to spend one-on-one time talking with these women about her mother. Even the prettiest of funeral sprays are inherently ugly. These little vases transformed the ugliness of death into love and blossoms and community and light. Go Kaifa!
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@Martha -
I love your story. I'm sure it was not only the flowers that brightened those people's day, but the fact that someone thought about them, thought about how they'd be feeling their inability to attend their friend's funeral. And a pleasure for your friend, too.
I say, Go Martha!
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Bravo, Ms. Anderson-Hall! And thank you for your initiative. I've heard of Second Harvest, but I've never heard of doing it with flowers. I am so glad they are being used for something good
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I think this is a wonderful initiative that is deserving of a lot of merit & attention.I have always believed in the healing power of nature in all it's myriad forms. The fact that this effort enhances the lives of the marginalized in our society & also incorporates environmentally sound practices is just brilliant. More power to you Kaifa !
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Brava!
28
What a treasure you are, Kaifa. Flowers bring such a powerful comfort and peaceful chord to our psyche. How lovely that you give this chance to those who most likely will not have much opportunity to experience this.
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This is great. I admire her creativity, contribution and zeal. Hurrah for Kaifa Anderson-Hall.
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