Categories
Blog Knoxville Patron Society News Releases Newsletter Newsroom RAF in the News

Getting to Know Larsen Jay (Knoxville Focus, 3.31.19)

[fusion_text]

Getting to Know Larsen Jay

by Mike Steely

In this week’s Getting to Know feature, The Knoxville Focus chatted with someone who positively impacts other people, people he may never meet, and what he does comes as a welcomed surprise and sometimes brings tears of gratitude.

Larsen Jay is a husband, father, Knox County Commissioner and founder of Random Act of Flowers. Most people don’t know that Jay also has a background in TV and movie production.


How has your position as founder and CEO of Random Acts of Flowers worked for you?

It has been thrilling, half terrifying and always exciting as we continue to help the community. My wife and I were involved in many things before this, like bringing the ice rink back downtown, starting the East Tennessee Chili Cook Off and the Daddy-Daughter Dance, restoring a historic building and serving on nonprofit boards. We started Random Acts of Flowers as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and thought we’d hand it off after it got started. It accepts no public funds, everything is donated and nothing is wasted. We exist through grants, corporate support, and private, direct fund raising.

We now have four branches around the country, 18 employees and over 2,000 volunteers and are approaching our 500,000th floral delivery. It’s going very well.[/fusion_text][button link=”http://knoxfocus.com/archives/this-weeks-focus/getting-know-larsen-jay/” color=”default” size=”xlarge” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_blank” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””]Read the Full Story Here[/button]

Categories
Blog News Releases Newsroom

Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis celebrates 50,000 deliveries back where it all began

Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis
celebrates 50,000 deliveries back where it all began
 

A little more than two years ago, the Random Acts of Flowers (RAF) Indianapolis workshop in Broad Ripple was abuzz with activity. The newest branch of the national floral nonprofit was preparing to make its first deliveries. And, in mid-October 2016, the mission of delivering hope got its start in Indy with 75 deliveries to the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital.

That day, RAF Indianapolis expected to reach 12,000 people during its first year in operation, but – through the hard work of staff and the dedication of volunteers (who have contributed more than 16,000 hours) – the branch has far exceeded its goals.

On November 29th, RAF Indianapolis will return to the Eskenazi Health campus to celebrate its 50,000th delivery of hope and encouragement in our community.

Natalie George, an Outreach Patient Assistant at Eskenazi Health, says she always looks forward to RAF delivery days.

“[They] are my favorite day of the month!  RAF brings joy to every person at Eskenazi Health.  Not only do our patients benefit from this wonderful organization, but our staff is also uplifted by seeing and smelling the beautiful floral arrangements.  The volunteers are genuinely excited to deliver flowers and speak to our patients.  We are so fortunate to have Random Acts of Flowers in Indianapolis!”

And, floral delivery recipients in Indy have also reached out many times in the last two years to RAF and know the difference the flowers made to them.

“What a beautiful floral arrangement you made that was delivered to my room following surgery. I cannot tell you how much the flowers brightened my days in the hospital. Do not doubt for a moment what your gift, talent, and time means to someone like me.” – Gary K.

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

Encouraging random acts of kindness among kids

Chicago Parent
By: Kelly Q. Anderson

Nicole Jakob, a North Shore area mom, was inspired by two things: a love of art and a loathing of participation trophies. In an era ripe with humble-bragging and social media ‘Likes,’ she set out to promote something different: anonymous altruism.

“I wanted to encourage kids to do something kind when no one was watching them, when they would not be recognized for it,” Jakob professed. “That being said, if you’re going to sell kids on it, I knew that it had to be fun or they wouldn’t do it. So I kept in mind that it had to be edgy and engaging.”

Three years of research birthed a solution: Renegade Made Craft Kits. The craft kit goal is making people happy and teaching kindness without the promise of reward or recognition–and that doing so is actually crazy fun. All kits include a black renegade bandit mask so that kids can get kind under a sneaky veil of anonymity.

Kit themes include:

Random Acts of Flowers

Bouquets bring out the best smiles, right? Find out firsthand as you assemble your own paper flower bouquet to be placed in public for the taking. Bonus: Each bloom explains the free floral gift and encourages the recipient to pass the positivity around by creating their own kind gestures.

Read Full Story Here

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

10 nonprofits changing how we live, dream and help one another

Entrepreneur Magazine
By: Lindsay Friedman

If you’re ever in need of inspiration, check the nonprofit sector. These groups dedicate themselves to solving problems big and small — and making the world a better place in the process. They prove that anything is possible if we share our resources and expertise. Over time, our simple gestures can transform into long-lasting opportunity, prosperity and empowerment for others.
Click ahead to read about 10 nonprofits changing how we live, dream and help one another.

Read full article here

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

Knoxville Random Acts of Flowers delivers to mothers in NICU

By: WATE 6 On Your Side

KNOXVILLE (WATE) – It’s difficult to celebrate a holiday when your child is in the hospital fighting for their life.

In Knoxville, Rosalynn and Ben Vaughan experienced a high risk pregnancy when it came to the birth of their twins, Adaline and Harper. They were both born at 33 weeks.

Random Acts of Flowers, with help from March of Dimes, helped make the Vaughans, along with other families at University of Tennessee Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a little brighter. They delivered re-purposed flowers to the NICU.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

Floral nonprofit Random Acts of Flowers takes on Cindy McConkey Cox, embraces new opportunities

Knoxville News Sentinel
By: Ali James

When the founder of Random Acts of Flowers — Knoxville film and video producer Larsen Jay — was hospitalized after a near-fatal fall in 2007, he partially credited his recovery to the number of flowers and visitors he received while recuperating.

Jay realized not that every patient was so lucky. Wheelchair-bound, he picked up some of his own flowers and delivered them to fellow patients, and Random Acts of Flowers was born.

RAF volunteers convert donated flowers into beautiful bouquets and deliver them in a “moment of kindness” to people in health-care facilities across the country.

Read Full Story Here

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

Huffington Post: Recycled Flowers Brighten Thousands of Lives

By:  HooplaHa

Flowers really do have the power to heal! Random Acts of Flowers is a non-profit organization that recycles flowers into beautiful bouquets that are delivered to patients at hospitals, senior centers and other healthcare facilities. Random Acts of Flowers strives to be a 100% recycling organization with the help of their volunteers, only using repurposed flowers from donations. Instead of throwing away flowers after a hospital stay, why not use them to make someone’s day!

In July 2007, Random Acts of Flowers’ founder, Larsen Jay, was in a near-fatal accident. While recovering, Larsen received love, support and … flowers! They raised his spirits so much that he wanted to do the same for others.

Read Full Story Here

Categories
News Releases RAF in the News

HooplaHa: Recycled Flowers Brighten Thousands of Lives

HooplaHa.com
By: Amy Chudy

Flowers really do have the power to heal! Random Acts of Flowers is a non-profit organization that recycles flowers into beautiful bouquets that are delivered to patients at hospitals, senior centers and other healthcare facilities. Random Acts of Flowers strives to be a 100% recycling organization with the help of their volunteers, only using repurposed flowers from donations. Instead of throwing away flowers after a hospital stay, why not use them to make someone’s day!

In July 2007, Random Acts of Flowers’ founder, Larsen Jay, was in a near-fatal accident. While recovering, Larsen received love, support and … flowers! They raised his spirits so much that he wanted to do the same for others. When he noticed how many patients did not receive flowers, he turned his flowers into several bouquets and gave them out. Within moments the first “random act of flowers” delivery was made, repurposing his flowers and delivering them to patients in nearby hospital rooms.

Read Full Story Here