For the past 13 years, students throughout Santa Barbara have organized an annual flower drive in support of Direct Relief, a local humanitarian aid organization that improves the health and lives of people around the world.
Flowers for Relief is run by Youth for Direct Relief (Y4DR), a group of 75 students who lead club chapters at six local schools: Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos and Bishop Diego high schools; Laguna Blanca School and Dunn School.
For a $75 donation, supporters can have bouquets delivered by Y4DR members to people or places between Goleta and Carpinteria on April 7 and 21. The fundraiser has brought in more than $325,000 since 2007.
The generosity of the donors provides real and useful international aid to struggling regions while bringing smiles to those who were selected to receive the flowers locally.
Youth for Direct Relief kids will meet at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, in Direct Relief’s headquarters, 6100 Wallace Becknell Road, for the Flowers for Relief kickoff event. Members will receive an update on Direct Relief’s work since the last flower drive and assemble the Flowers for Relief mailing.
For more information or to download an order form, visit youth4directrelief.com/flowers or email to donations@directrelief.org.