The Team

Flowers for Heroes, NFP (FFH) is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization that was created to harness the power of beautiful and unique floral bouquets to honor our bravest citizens. These men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives protecting our American freedoms.

Our efforts are to raise awareness and funds for the families of fallen military men and women in order to make a positive impact in our community and throughout the nation. We are fortunate to have wide-spread support with floral and entertainment industry members to advance our charitable causes.

"… at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from his honor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." - Army General John Logan – 1868

Purpose
The purpose of Flowers for Heroes is to provide assistance in the way of food and Groceries to our nations Gold Star families. Gold Star families only qualify to receive this title by losing a family member in battle (war).

Flowers for Heroes will visit every National Cemetery around the world, placing flowers on ALL headstones recognizing and honoring our Fallen Heroes. The funds raised will be given back to the families that have put them there. Gold Star!!!

Mission
Flowers for Heroes (FFH) primary mission is to raise the necessary funding to support struggling Gold Star families (families who have lost wife, husband, son or daughter to the terror of battle, paying the ultimate sacrifice). FFH qualifies particular Gold Star families in need and uses the funds raised to supply these families with the food and groceries they need for one year to reduce their financial burden. In order to qualify to receive funds from FFH, the families must have lost a parent to the tragedy of battle and have children in need of our support.

Our mission recognizes that our Gold Star children are in dire need of our assistance. The least we can do is support their needs in the way of food, allowing them to focus their financial resources on other important aspects of their lives such as health care, child care, and transportation to work. FFH realizes that the needs of Gold Star Families are on a much bigger level; however, we are confident that our mission will "pass it on" meaning - others will see our efforts and follow our lead in helping these families.

Through our participation in various community events, we have found that the general public is unaware of the problems that Gold Star Families face. These hardships are a result of the sacrifices made by some of America’s bravest citizens. It is important that we support the families who have lost their main breadwinner due to their dedication to our American freedoms. By supporting the FFH mission, it will greatly help to spread awareness for the support out Gold Star Families need.

Additionally, our mission includes that FFH will visit every military Veteran cemetery around the world and honor every fallen hero by placing flowers on their final resting place. Our last Fallen Hero Flower Placement was held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (ALNC) on Veterans Day. There our organization coordinated with thousands of volunteers from all over the US and placed over 17,000 flowers on every headstone of our Fallen.

This event made history in that ALNC was contacted by the head of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C. and asked that this become an annual ceremony providing that FFH performs our Fallen Hero Flower Placement. Previously the Department of Veteran Affairs has never had an organized event on Veterans Day in the Midwest region of the US. We have since met with the Directors of ALNC and committed to hosting this event on Veterans Day 2010.

Objectives
- To become the largest Gold Star NFP fundraising organization in our nation’s history

- To ensure that no Gold Star Family goes hungry by providing them with groceries for one year, allowing them to properly support other important living expenses and save money for the future.

- By visiting every national cemetery around the world and placing flowers on every headstone, we will ensure that the sacrifices made by our soldiers are not forgotten.

Fallen Hero Flower Placements
Flower for Heroes honors our fallen heroes by placing flowers on their gravesites at military cemeteries around the world. Fresh flowers are used to symbolize how the memories and sacrifices of these brave men and women live on in our hearts.

Currently we have four Fallen Hero Flower Placement Ceremonies scheduled for 2010; Danville National Cemetery, Rock Island National Cemetery, Antietam National Cemetery, and Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. This will require over 64,000 flowers to properly honor our fallen heroes and show their families that regardless of the decisions our government makes, we support the dedication of our soldiers.

Management
FFH’s Management Team, founded by lifelong floral industry member Russ Phillip, has extensive creative and business experience in the floral market. The extended management team also includes experts in search engine optimization, graphic design, E-commerce, web programming, writing, marketing and sales.

The Elected Directors include: Nick Economos (State Street Financial Group); Kevin Schulhof, CPA (Hewlett-Packard); and Myra Peterson-Love (YBF Network). The company’s legal interests and trademark interests are represented by Synergy Law Group and Brannon & Associates PC, respectively.

Corporate Information
Flowers for Heroes, NFP was incorporated in the State of Illinois March 10, 2009 and recognized by the US Internal Revenue Service as a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. FFH’s principal executive offices are located at 205 East Butterfield Road, Suite 423, Elmhurst, IL 60126 and the organizations telephone number is (877) 923-2769. Email inquiries can be sent to info@flowersforheroes.org.