Jillian Lustig has always loved flowers and making people happy, so it was natural for her to choose to make people happy using flowers for her Marjorie and Robert Kohn Pledge 13 project.
The Pledge 13 program was established at Jewish Family & Career Services to organize, oversee and encourage bar and bat mitzvah students to give a minimum of 13 hours of community service.
Jilly decided to focus on seniors in long-term care facilities. She solicited area flower shops, collected the donated flowers and made flower arrangements with the residents. The flowers were distributed throughout the facilities, and she also made “bedside bouquets” for hospice patients, which were distributed by their staff.
Recipients couldn’t help but smile when presented with the beautiful flowers, which, along with Jilly’s friendly visit, brightened up otherwise dreary days.
Jilly found this project fulfilling when she saw how happy getting flowers with a smile made people feel. The experience of dealing with businesses to ask for donations was rewarding too, and Jilly now realizes how generous people can be when asked to help a good cause. Jilly embodies the concept of tikkun olam by making the world better for others while experiencing for the true joy of giving.
For more information about the Pledge 13 program, contact JFCS, 502-452-6314.