Love thy neighbor

Spreading Joy Through Flowers

Krenzel’s servant heart started as a young girl when she spent summers with her grandmother, Freda, in Linton, North Dakota. Freda was a champion of kindness, warmth and artistry. Krenzel’s experiences of serving others alongside Freda (especially gardening) grew with her as she got older, and in 2016, she founded Hope Blooms, a local nonprofit that repurposes donated flowers and rearranges them into beautiful bedside bouquets so that those who are most in need in our community feel a sense of inclusion. All with one message: you matter.

Krenzel first brought the idea to repurpose flowers to a close friend who owns a floral business. Her friend helped connect her with a couple who was getting married and would like to donate their wedding flowers. The idea began to slowly bloom as Krenzel and a small group of friends worked side by side in the basement of her home to take apart and redesign the flowers into small bedside arrangements. The bouquets were delivered to community members in need, starting with elderly individuals who resided in assisted living communities, nursing homes, memory care and more. The small gesture of handmade bouquets quickly made an impact on the community, and Hope Blooms was able to expand into a shop in north Fargo and invite hundreds of volunteers to join in the movement. Hope Blooms now receives regular donations of flowers from community partners, such as Hornbacher's, Cash Wise, funeral homes, wholesalers to bridal parties, personal gardens and more.

Since its creation in 2016, Hope Blooms has created more than 30,000 individual bouquets and volunteers have logged nearly 5,000 hours to make it possible. The flowers have reached homebound seniors, hospice patients, a local maternity home, cancer centers, birth centers, the children’s hospital, women’s shelters, veterans, and child-loss groups. Hope Blooms has given bouquets to frontline workers, FM Ambulance, local fire departments, nurses, daycare providers and teachers to remind all these people how vital they are

Assisted Living resident, receives bedside bouquets through Hope Blooms. For Lein, the bouquets have brightened her days beyond measure. “The first time I received a bouquet, I couldn’t believe we were getting flowers. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I felt so honored to get them. I’ve appreciated them even more during the pandemic. Hope Blooms is a wonderful organization!” to our community. Overall, Hope Blooms serves nearly 60 organizations, facilities and segments of the population in the community.

Stories of Hope Blooms’ impact have poured in from everywhere around our community. Krenzel believes we all have the capacity to make a significant mark on someone’s life by taking the time to extend a gesture of kindness. One heartfelt story was about an elderly man, who received a bouquet of yellow roses. Upon receipt of this gift, he immediately broke down in tears and explained to the Hope Blooms volunteer that he often bought yellow roses for his wife who had passed away. Krenzel believes the flowers find the person they are meant to impact.

So, what is next for Hope Blooms? The organization is looking to make connections in the community to better serve our rural neighbors in the smaller communities surrounding Fargo-Moorhead. Krenzel would be glad to partner with anyone who would make deliveries outside the metro area. As Hope Blooms has grown, so has the demand for items necessary to fulfill the mission, including mason jars, jute and shop supplies. Hope Blooms appreciates all donations, including financial support. Finally, Hope Blooms relies heavily on volunteers to create and distribute the bouquets, help with pick-ups, and many other aspects of the mission. Sign up to volunteer at hopeblooms.org as an individual or group.

Krenzel put it best, “Hope Blooms is not just flowers; it’s the opportunity to serve the community and recognize individuals for their value as human beings. It is fundamental to our well-being and something we all need — to feel that we belong in our own community.” Love your neighbors and show some brightness and light in the world through the gift of repurposed flowers. [ aw ]

WORDS : JESSICA LARGHE PHOTOGRAPHY : M. SCHLEIF PHOTOGRAPHY