Random Acts of Flowers Chicago Delivers to 600 Veterans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RANDOM ACTS OF FLOWERS CHICAGO DELIVERS 600 “THANK YOU” BOUQUETS TO CHICAGO AREA VETERANS

Local Veteran-Owned Business Alternative Staffing, Inc. Steps Up to Deliver to Jesse Brown VA Hospital

November 16, 2016 -- In an unprecedented delivery, Random Acts of Flowers Chicago (RAF Chicago) recently joined forces with employees of Alternative Staffing Inc. (ASI) to surprise veterans at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. The non-profit organization, which recycles flowers and delivers them to individuals in healthcare facilities, delivered to three VA hospitals and countless medical clinics throughout Chicago and Lake County. Additional supporters of RAF Chicago’s Veteran’s Day deliveries included MZI Group, Advocate Condell, UL and FTD-Pro Flowers. Melissa Stockwell, a former Army veteran who lost her leg in Iraq and went on to win a Bronze Medal at the Paralympics in Rio, accompanied RAF Chicago on the delivery. She represented Dare2tri, an organization that impacts the lives of athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments by developing their skills in Paratriathlons.

Since January 2015, RAF Chicago has delivered bouquets to 40,000 individuals in 157 healthcare facilities – hospitals, nursing homes, hospice and rehab centers and VA medical facilities. Flowers are donated by grocery stores, retail and wholesale florists, weddings, funerals and galas.

“As a former Marine, my staff and I couldn’t step up fast enough,” said Steven Swerdloff, Chairman of Alternative Staffing. “It was an honor to support the delivery of flowers to men and women who have risked their lives for our country. They deserve beauty, kindness and support on Veteran’s Day -- and the other 364 days of the year,” he added.

ASI deployed Janette Martir (Norridge), Corporate Trainer/Regional Operations Manager and Francis Guerra, Director of New Account Development (Elgin) to deliver the bouquets. See photos attached.

About ASI:

Alternative Staffing is Chicago’s Premier veteran-owned company with 19 years’ experience in providing temporary and temp-to-hire staffing, on-site payroll, human resource management and biometric management solutions. ASI has offices in Cicero, North Chicago and Aurora. For more information, go to www.altstaff.com

About RAF Chicago

Random Acts of Flowers Chicago improves the emotional health and well-being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement and personal moments of kindness. For more information, go to www.rafchicago.org.

Random Acts of Flowers Chicago -- 2000 Greenleaf Avenue, Evanston, IL. 60202 – 847-430-4157 www.rafchicago.org.

[CONTACT: Sydney Werd, RAF Chicago at sydney@rafchicago.org or 847-430-4157]