Nonprofit Spotlight: The Flower Shuttle

The Flower Shuttle

WRITTEN BY RABEKAH HENDERSON | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN

FOUNDER KATHY REECE considers the beginnings of The Flower Shuttle “a miracle.”

Fifteen years ago, she read in the Oprah Magazine about a New York City woman who recycled unused flowers for people in need. Reece believed she could do the same thing in the Triangle — brighten the lives of those in community living and those facing illness and poverty through recycled flowers.

With the help of the Raleigh Moravian Church, which gave the newly-formed nonprofit its seed money, The Flower Shuttle was born.

“All the doors just started opening, and a good idea found its way through a lot of really hard working people with good hearts. It just took off — it was amazing,” said Reece.

Today, nearly every day of the week, a team member from one of The Flower Shuttle’s 13 teams heads to the organization’s donors to pick up unsold or recyclable flowers. The nonprofit’s flowers come from a variety of local places: grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, The Fresh Market and Costco, florists like The English Garden and The Watered Garden, and nurseries like Burkett Farms.

After flower pickup, the teams unwrap and clean the blooms and form them into bouquets and floral arrangements. The flowers are then delivered to locations across the Triangle, such as community living centers, rehab facilities and hospitals.

By doing this, The Flower Shuttle connects businesses in the Triangle with excess merchandise to communities that have a great need, like Transitions LifeCare, a Raleigh hospice home. The result is an impactful system that minimizes waste and maximizes the simple joy that flowers bring.

“I think [The Flower Shuttle] brings together a lot of opportunities,” said Reece.

TOP: Rhonda Hinnart ties ribbons on bouquets, which she arranged in her garage. She and other Flower Shuttle volunteers recycle discarded flowers and bring them to people who don't normally get them.

ABOVE: Volunteers remove wilting greenery and blooms from the donated arrangements before creating new bouquets.

“Not only for our flower donors, but for the vendors who donate their flowers to us… and the volunteers from across the Triangle who come to make the magic happen every week.”

“The Flower Shuttle has been so good to us for many years,” said Darcy Dye Bowers, senior communications and public relations manager at Transitions LifeCare.

The Flower Shuttle provides floral arrangements to Transitions LifeCare’s hospice home patients. The smaller bouquets go to the patients and their families, while the larger arrangements sit in the public areas of the facility.

One of Reece’s favorite memories is from an early recipient of The Flower Shuttle who, upon receiving a bouquet, remarked that it was the first time anyone had ever given them flowers.

“That was such an eye-opener to us of the great need that is out there,” said Reece.

Flower delivery in the time of COVID-19 has been challenging. The Flower Shuttle volunteers haven’t been able to meet together as a large group to work on bouquets. Instead, smaller groups, of three to six people, meet throughout the Raleigh-Cary area.

However, for The Flower Shuttle director Eileen Taylor, COVID-19 has also brought exciting opportunities.

“We have gotten a slew of new volunteers — people who have never volunteered before but now they have time to do something, and we have doubled our output,” she said.

The Flower Shuttle went from delivering 1,400 bouquets to 25 different places pre-pandemic to now delivering more than 3,000 bouquets to over 50 different places.

“During the pandemic, when people can’t have visitors, just having us be able to deliver those flowers on a regular basis really helps people feel better and feel cared about,” said Taylor.

Aside from bouquets, The Flower Shuttle also delivers buckets of unwrapped flowers to memory-care and assisted-living facilities. This allows for the residents to create their own arrangements — a fun individual activity.

“Flowers are just a very simple, tiny thing,” said Reece. “But they have such power to brighten up the darkness, and to let our neighbors know that there are people who don’t even know me who care about me.”

The Flower Shuttle accepts donations of glass vases that are in good condition, as well as clean mugs without inscriptions or endorsements. They can be dropped off at the storage bin behind the Raleigh Moravian Church, 1816 Ridge Road, in Raleigh.

To make a monetary gift, to donate flowers from an event, or to volunteer, visit theflowershuttle.com for more information. t

“During the pandemic, when people can’t have visitors, just having us be able to deliver those flowers on a regular basis really helps people feel better and feel cared about.”

— Eileen Taylor, The Flower Shuttle director

TOP LEFT: Volunteers Jessica Sinha, left, and Laura James choose flowers from arrangements that were donated to The Flower Shuttle.

ABOVE: A rose peeks out from a bucket of flowers, waiting to go into a fresh arrangement.

For lunch, a flight of three tacos is hard to beat. Daybreak's chef Juan Duarte is a Mexico City native, and his food reflects that history.

Daybreak

WRITTEN BY DAVID MCCREARY PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN

NOT MANY PLACES serve omelets and pancakes on the same menu as authentic Mexico City street tacos. You’ll find those dishes and more at Daybreak, an upand-coming breakfast/brunch/lunch spot in downtown Cary.

Owned and operated by the fine folks who run the nearby Crosstown Pub & Grill, Daybreak is a come-as-you-are eatery that serves up reliable comfort food in a warm environment.

“We’re definitely aiming to reach the morning and midday crowd,” said owner Sean Ryan, who runs the café along with his mother, brother and wife — Sheila, Brendan and Megan Ryan, respectively.

“Breakfast and tacos are my two favorite food groups, so I figured other people would also enjoy what we have to offer.”

Since opening in September 2020, business has slowly but steadily grown. The owners, who live in downtown Cary, appreciate that their friends and neighbors come into the restaurant.

“We have regular guests who come in, that we know by name because they also frequent Crosstown,” said Megan Ryan.

continued on page 82

“Breakfast and tacos are my two favorite food groups, so I figured other people would also enjoy what we have to offer.”

Jayvon Williamson Sr. enjoys a hearty breakfast at Daybreak with his son, Jayvon Williamson Jr.

continued from page 81

Dishes are served in portions that are guaranteed to satisfy. You can’t go wrong with any of the five available omelets, all of which are gluten-free. Go all-in with a Triple Mess involving sausage, bacon, ham and mozzarella cheese, or choose the vegetarian Mediterranean with spinach, black olives, red onions, tomatoes and feta.

The ample pancake sandwich features fried chicken nestled between flapjacks drizzled with Sriracha-infused honey.

“This is our spin on chicken and waffles,” said Megan Ryan.

Inspired by fictional character Ron Swanson from the television sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” the popular Big Swanson burrito includes bacon, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, home fries, confetti peppers, mixed cheese and a side of salsa verde.

Garlic-infused loaded home fries are crowned with bacon, mixed cheese, bell pepper, diced tomato, onions and salsa.

Prefer lighter alternatives? Consider the yogurt and seasonal fruit parfait with granola, or try avocado sourdough toast with fried egg, grilled tomato and chili flakes.

Wash everything down with a cup of robust Lion Head Coffee imported from Colorado. You can get it hot or iced.

“A friend of mine from college runs a roastery and ships the coffee to us,” said Sean Ryan. “We like offering something that you won’t find anywhere else around here.”

At lunchtime, head chef Juan Duarte’s mix-and-match taco flights deserve significant consideration.

“Juan has a history with traditional style tacos with corn tortillas, chorizo, diced

The pancake sandwich with fried chicken and spicy honey is Daybreak's spin on chicken and waffles.

“We are known for our homemade bloody mary.”

— megan Ryan, owner, daybreak

The Big Swanson burrito is packed with bacon, sausage, ham, peppers, scrambled egg, cheese and potatoes.

continued from page 82

onions and cilantro,” said Megan Ryan, adding that the chef, who hails from Mexico City, brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to the kitchen.

Among the eight tacos on the menu, the brightest star is the onion- and mozzarellaladen chorizo. To round out your selection, order the jalapeno-spiked Buffalo chicken and the protein-packed breakfast taco.

A kids menu features pancakes, scrambled eggs and a biscuit, and a Nutella-banana sandwich. All meals come with a drink and a side item.

When it comes to adult libations, craft cocktails and dessert drinks are available from the bar.

“We are known for our homemade bloody mary,” said Megan Ryan. “The Chocolate Covered Strawberry is an iced coffee with Baileys cream, fresh strawberries, and chocolate and strawberry syrups. Our drinks are also available as mocktails.”

The restaurant is available by reservation for after-hours events like birthday parties, wedding rehearsal dinners, baby showers and corporate events. Keep in mind that space may be limited due to COVID-19 regulations.

“When we opened, we intentionally kept the decor modern and industrial so it would be more functional for multiple purposes,” said Sean Ryan.

Be sure to check out the vibrant abstract mural on the wall behind the bar, painted by talented local artist Craig Gillooly.

Daybreak is currently open 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Dine-in service, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. t

Daybreak 154 E. Chatham St., Cary (919) 439-1181 daybreaknc.com

The Chocolate Covered Strawberry is iced coffee with Baileys cream, fresh strawberries, and chocolate and strawberry syrups.

Megan and Sean Ryan run Daybreak in downtown Cary, with a little help from their family — mom Sheila and brother Brendan. The Ryan family also owns the nearby Crosstown Pub & Grill.

Cha House Offers Tastes and Traditions of Taiwan

Made from finely ground green tea leaves, matcha is a healthier alternative to coffee and packed with antioxidants. Cha House mixes matcha powder with the milk of your choice in its matcha latte.

WRITTEN BY DAVID MCCREARY | PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHA HOUSE

CHA HOUSE CRAFT TEA & SNACK BAR, a popular Chapel Hill tea shop, recently opened a location in Cary and has deftly ushered in the tastes and traditions of Taiwan.

Whether you’re in the mood for Wintermelon black tea, spiced Chai, mango matcha or salted caramel milk tea, Cha House offers plenty of distinctive choices in hot and cold versions.

“We want to introduce the Taiwanese culture to the Western world,” said co-owner and Missouri-bred Andy Adkisson, who founded Cha House in 2018 with his wife, Taiwan native Ya Wen “Lulu” Adkisson and her sister, Ya Huei “Julia” Chiu. “Just about everything we sell is imported from Taiwan, so it’s very authentic.”

Cha House uses only premium loose-leaf teas sourced from trusted farmers at plantations located in the high mountain ranges of Taiwan. This means the tea is less bitter and more robust than what is found in many other places.

“Freshness is really important to us, so none of our tea batches sits for more than four hours before we pour it out,” said Adkisson, adding that the shop’s top ten drinks are listed on the menu board.

Among the most popular beverages include taro milk tea, peach oolong tea and specialty item Dirty Tiger, which features brown-sugar boba (essentially tapioca pearls) and fresh milk. Want coffee instead? Cha House has you covered with mocha, latte, cappuccino and more.

When it comes to food, you can’t go wrong with the house favorite popcorn chicken, the pork chop or the waffle with fresh fruit. Or try the green onion pancake with kimchi.

While you visit, find inspiration through various signs placed throughout the

“We want to provide a positive environment for our guests and do our part to make them feel welcomed.”

— Ya Wen “Lulu” Adkisson, Cha House co-owner

café like the one that reads: “Choose Love. Show Grace. Have Faith.”

“We want to provide a positive environment for our guests and do our part to make them feel welcomed,” Adkisson said.

In addition to providing an affirming experience for patrons, the owners of Cha House are also committed to responsible business practices.

“We use paper straws, proper recycling methods and are certified ocean friendly,” Adkisson said.

Nestled next to the new Aldi grocery store at The Shoppes of Kildaire, Cha House is a relaxing place to sip quality tea and enjoy good conversation with a friend or loved one. In times like these, that’s a really good thing. t

Cha House 1319 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary (984) 465-0498 chahouseusa.com

Cha House beverages can be customized with fruit, juice, or boba, which are sweetened tapioca pearls. These pearls give the trendy drink its name — bubble tea.