New collaboration with the Community Services Foundation's Pleasant Homes Apartments senior community in Seat Pleasant, MD!  Gifted 18 MGM donated 6" pot kalanchoes as an introduction to Plants and Blooms ReImagined programming that will commence in January as part of the seniors' Health and Wellness Fridays.

Plants and Blooms ReImagined has a new plant/floral collaborative partnership with Melwood and MGM resulting in the largest Plants and Blooms ReImagined donation to date - 100 poinsettias from MGM! Melwood is one of the contract suppliers of plant material for MGM and as a long-time volunteer and supporter of Melwood, Melwood's grower, Edward Goodman has embraced PBR's mission and facilitated the connection with MGM's Conservatory Manager, AJ Leneski who has very quickly and enthusiastically extended his support!  The timing could not be better as many seniors will be gifted with poinsettia cheer during this holiday season! 

And let me take this opportunity to request your support of my Indiegogo Generosity campaign to help secure Plants and Blooms ReImagined's delivery and outreach mobile.  Future pickups and deliveries of wonderful donations like this one will go from U-haul to PBR's own.  See the Indiegogo Generosity link on the Home page to make your donation.  Every gift from the heart, no matter the amount, is a gift well received!   Thank you and happy holidays!

 

Plants and Blooms ReImagined's First Health Fair!

On Wednesday, October 12th Plants and Blooms ReImagined was invited to participate in the Community Services Foundation's annual fall health fair for northeast DC's Brookland Manor residents at the Brookland Manor Community Center.   Alongside glucose and blood pressure screenings, dental care assessments, flu vaccines, condom distribution, smoothie tastings, yoga and tai chi demonstrations and more, Plants and Blooms ReImagined's prescription for wellness was a "room in bloom"!  The health fair senior participants, in particular, were guided in making their own floral arrangements to take home to experience the health benefits of live flowers in their homes. 

So many stories and smiles were shared as seniors engaged in their special creative experience.  Diane in particular shared how she always wanted sunflowers in her home for they made her happy as they reminded her of her late aunt whom she loved visiting as a child because her aunt's corner was always planted with sunflowers.  When I asked the seniors how often they had flowers in their homes, almost all replied not as often as they would like.  Not having the extra resources to make regular purchases was typically the why.   So increasing access and championing the health benefits of a "room in bloom" (also of a "room in green") is the joy-filled mission of Plants and Blooms ReImagined!  Looking forward to many more health fairs to come!

As the work of Plants and Blooms ReImagined deepens, it will be rooted in  partnerships like that with McCallum Sauber Wholesale Florist.  See the next blog post as this new cut-flower supply partner is introduced! 

Plants and Blooms ReImagined at Seabury's Jazz and Garden Party 8.26.2016

Plants and Blooms   ReImagined    Arrangements and Planters

 

 

Jazz Vocalist Rochelle Rice and Seabury's CEO Deborah Royster and below, left to right: Community Activist, Jennifer Lumpkin; Plants and Blooms ReImagined's Creator, Kaifa Anderson-Hall and Home First/Age-In-Place Director, Alexandrea Rich

Anew In Creation, Anew In Giving, Anew In Joy!!!

Seven rearrangements gifted to Seabury's Home First Pleasant Hill House residents.  On behalf of residents, joyfully received by wonderful staff, Ms. Maxine and by resident Ms. Jones.

Preparation for ReImagining!

 

 



 

 

 

Post Wedding Gleaning!!!

 

Plants and Blooms ReImagined post wedding pick-up from Wedding Designer, Sidra Forman.  Lovely donations to be repurposed and given anew!!!

 

June 18, 2016

 

In partnership with Seabury’s Home First/Age-in-Place program, PBR shared a wonderful day with staff, the Advisory Council, residents, Seabury’s CEO and PBR supporters as we were all hands in the soil in a summer welcoming revitalization of the grounds of Seabury’s Home First Pleasant Hill House  (www.seaburyresources.org/srj/index.php/housing/homefirst). The garden beautification was particularly special as the garden would be dedicated in honor and remembrance of my dear friend and mentor and beloved Home First volunteer, Preston Williams.  Mr. Preston was the embodiment of PBR’s vision and mission – ensuring that plants were central in the lives of those most in need, under resourced seniors in particular.  He would introduce me to the wonderful residents of Pleasant Hill House as we teamed up to bring a horticulture and horticultural therapy experience to them.  These experiences were seminal in the creation of PBR.  Mr. Preston’s passing last September still reverberates throughout Seabury’s Home First community, but his magnanimous spirit and infectious light and joy are rooted deep in the hearts and service of all who had the privilege to celebrate life with him.

 

Arranging The Gift of Love!

Plants and Blooms ReImagined welcomed the month of May with establishing formal partnerships with Seabury Resources for Aging's Home First/Age-In-Place residences and its Springvale Terrace residence.  Based on the success of the initial relationship and volunteer work with Home First's Pleasant Hill house residents, Plants and Blooms ReImagined will increase access for more than 150 residents to the beauty and benefits of indoor plants and flower arrangements!

As the month of May comes to a close with honoring those who have given their lives for the preservation of freedom around the world, Plants and Blooms ReImagined enjoyed this past Friday celebrating life with children as they arranged very special gifts of love.  Young people (ages 4 to 15)of DC's Brentwood Apartment community (predominantly low-income residents) and members of the Brookland Manor Community Center Beet Street sponsored Friday After School Garden Club all squealed in delight to discover that they were going to be playing around with cut flowers to create arrangements to take home to their families.  Young people who are typically in motion in the garden - checking on newly planted seedlings, hunting down strawberries or figs and/or racing to be a part of the watering assembly line - were all indoors excitedly calling out for red and white and purple flowers (carnations and asters), deftly arranging and rearranging, admiring their creations and greatly anticipating when they would present their gifts of love to that special someone at home.  No surprise, moms were at the top of the list.  Yet, one young guy would surprise us all and bring our attention to this important time of Memorial Day observance.  He shared that he was going to give half to his mom and the other half he was going to take to put on his grandfather's gravesite in honor of Memorial Day because he got shot in the army.  How special was this experience for all of the children, but especially for this young guy.  What came in as a box of undefined cut flowers, left in the proud hands and hearts of children as reimagined and inspired arranged gifts of love!

Spring is in the air! So too is Plants and Blooms ReImagined!

Plants and Blooms ReImagined will ensure that the beauty, joy, inspiration and healing power of nature’s gifts of indoor plants and cut-flowers will be experiences shared by all!