Homeless LA women will be gifted a surprise rose this Valentine's week to lift their spirits
Valentine's week, a special time of the year to celebrate your relationships with your loved ones, is often lonely if you are struggling with something as grave as homelessness. This year, a collaboration is trying to make them feel just a little better by gifting them a surprise.
The women experiencing homelessness at the Downtown Women's Centre in Los Angeles will be celebrating Valentine's week this year with roses. Each of the women who are at the facility will be delivered a surprise rose through Valentine's Week.
"There are 48 units at the downtown facility so will bring roses for each," said Natural Fragrance Rose in a statement to MEA WorldWide, who is partnering with DWC for the celebration, "We wanted to spread love to those that need it most and know have heard of the Los Angeles’ Downtown Women’s Center and really wanted to shed the light on all the wonderful things they do, and gifting each woman something special that would put smiles on their faces."
Natural Fragrance Rose Inventor and Founder Peter Persoon said that he hopes "each rose brightens and uplifts the spirits of all who reside and work there."
The only organization in Los Angeles to exclusively help women who are experiencing homelessness or have been homeless in the past, the Downtown Women's Centre has been operational since 1978. Amy Turk, Chief Executive Officer of the center, said the event would hopefully inspire more people to participate in volunteerism.
"It is no secret that homelessness is one of the most pressing crises facing Los Angeles and communities across this state," said Turk, "Holiday-inspired donations from socially conscious companies like Natural Fragrance Rose are not only enjoyable and appreciated, they bring much-needed attention and can help encourage more corporate giving and volunteerism."
In its 2019 Homeless Count report, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) reported that on any given night, 58,936 individuals and families are experiencing homelessness and there are currently 17,482 women experiencing homelessness.