Restoring Faith in Humanity

By Dr Bibiana Chan

Since the second COVID-19 lockdown was lifted in November 2021, the Community Flower Studio (CFS) has been running its Petal-it-Forward Campaign. On Saturday, 12 October 2024, during our Mental Health Week Pop-up Stall, we hosted it for the first time in the New York style—drawing inspiration from the Society of American Florists (SAF), who launched their version of the campaign in October 2015. Each passerby was handed two small bouquets with the instruction: “Keep one for yourself and ‘Petal-it-Forward’ (give) one to someone else.” SAF has been running this campaign for nine years, and florists in Canada also participated in 2024.

While wars rage on in Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East—beyond comprehension for many—here, on the other side of the globe, CFS’s young members witnessed the transformative power of a simple act of kindness. Before handing out the two beautiful mixed Aussie rose bunches, named “Joyce’s Choice” after a beloved late member, volunteers asked four thoughtful Wh-questions:

1. Who are you giving the roses to?
2. Why?
3. When will you deliver them?
4. What will you say?

We listened to heartwarming stories. Some were gifting roses to elderly neighbours who were quite lonely, others to friends overwhelmed with caring for young children, or family members struggling with health issues. The connections made were genuine and powerful, reminding us all of the impact one small act of kindness can have.

As I reflect on this event, I recall the time spent completing a $500 community grant application from WayAhead, the organization behind Mental Health Month for over two decades. I felt confident CFS would succeed, and we also received around $200 in donations at the pop-up stall. My heart swells with gratitude for the generosity of the people we encountered. When I told my nearly 90-year-old mother, who lives in Ottawa, about the campaign’s success, she kindly offered to donate $500 to support our next Petal-it-Forward campaign.

Giving Young People Space to Flourish

This was the first time we focused exclusively on giving away 100 bouquets of roses, rather than selling floral arrangements and pot-plants, so I drafted a script for our volunteers to guide their conversations with passers-by. I emphasized the theme of this year’s Mental Health Month: “Let’s Talk About It.” Some friends were skeptical, asking, “Are you really giving away free flowers?” and “Won’t they all be gone in 30 minutes?” I smiled and explained that, yes, the flowers were free—but there was a catch: everyone had to answer the four Wh-questions!

Our young members, brainstormed different ways to approach people. Some suggested saying, “Would you like some free roses?” while others preferred, “It’s Mental Health Week, and we’re asking you to Petal-it-Forward with these roses—keep one and pass one along.” I encouraged them to experiment and find their own style, reminding them that there is no right or wrong way to engage. I shared my script only as a guideline.

Senior members offered suggestions, but I urged them to step back and let the younger members take the lead. CFS’s number one goal is to create a safe space for young people to explore and develop their potential. My role is to mentor and support them from a distance, stepping in when necessary—such as giving a quiet hint when a parent with young children was approaching. And when they faced rejections (inevitable as they may be), I stood by them to say, “That’s okay—we respect their decision.”

This experience was invaluable for them. They learned to handle rejection with grace, understanding that not every interaction would lead to success, but every interaction was a chance to grow. We also discussed the skepticism people often feel when approached with free merchandise in public, a reflection of how wary we’ve become of potential scams. The statistics are alarming. To counteract this, there is our Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC) certificate on hand, to show that CFS is a legitimate charity with a strong commitment to mental health advocacy.

I hope this Petal-it-Forward campaign has restored some faith in humanity for our young members. A simple act of kindness with a bunch of flowers can have a profound impact on someone’s mental well-being—both for the giver and the receiver.

We look forward to returning next year for another round of Petal-it-Forward!

Further reading:

1. Zainab Salbi (Activist and social entrepreneur) adapted a poem “Out beyond the worlds of right-doings and wrong-doings’ by Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet, 

“Out beyond the worlds of right-doings and wrong-doings, 

there is a field. 

I will meet you there. 

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’ 

no longer makes any sense.

Out beyond the worlds of war and peace, 

there is a field, 

and there are many women and men [who] are meeting there. 

Let us make this field a much bigger place. 

Let us all meet in that field.”

2. Spread joy and kindness! Petal-it-Forward campaign is a global success. The Agriscience students at Nonnewaug High School (Connecticut, USA) learnt first-hand the impact of a small act of random kindness!

3. Health by Design: University Research Reveals Surprising Solution for Relieving Stress, University of North Florida Research Team Releases Findings on the Impact of Flowers on Well-Being