Some 1,000 widows were left spellbound with a gesture by American businesswoman, Ashley Manning that has been hailed by many on Valentine’s Day.
Under the auspices of her Valentine’s Day Widow Outreach Project makes the holiday special for women who lost their spouses.
Manning, a mother of four, started the nonprofit to give widows a special Valentine’s Day. After nomination by a loved one, widows receive a delivery of flowers and gifts (wine, jewelry, snacks and dessert) on Valentine’s Day, paid for with donations and assembled by hundreds of volunteers. All nominees, provided they reside within a designated delivery zone, receive a gift.
Manning recently explained on Instagram, “Each gift costs us about $60 with donations and wholesale pricing. However, if you were to buy the flower arrangement, vase, wine, sweets and treats it would cost more than $300!”
The Valentine’s Day Widow Outreach Project is currently running in six cities: Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Nashville, Hutchinson (Minnesota), and Houston.
Manning says some people choose to have the flowers delivered anonymously, while others want to deliver themselves.
“They want to hug the person they give it to,” she explains.
Manning, a former pharmaceutical rep who runs the floral shop Pretty Things by A.E. Manning, has loved plants and flowers since she was a little girl.
“I would make flower arrangements for my friends for their birthdays and put things together,” Manning says.
Ahead of Valentine’s Day 2021, Manning asked her Instagram followers a simple question: How are we going to take care of the women in our community who aren’t going to get flowers?
Although Manning is married to her college sweetheart, she holds a special place in her heart for widows.
