Our series “Celebrating Motherhood” shares inspiring stories, helpful advice, and insightful recommendations to help you choose the perfect gifts to help you express your love for moms of all types.
You may have heard of our long-running program, "Mothers Who Matter Most". This year, the campaign has evolved into “Moms Matter Even More This Year”. Why? Because this Mother’s Day will be different. Whether working remotely, serving on the front lines against the virus, or taking care of their grandchildren at home, moms are being called upon to do more than ever right now. You may not be able to be with the important mothers in your life and celebrate in person, but that doesn’t change the enormous role mothers play in the lives of our families and communities.
“Mothers Who Matter Most” began some thirty years ago when we received a heartwarming request. A peculiar envelope, printed in block letters, was sent to our Bayside, Queens, NY office with $16 and a note from a young man who wrote that while he’d certainly made mistakes in his life, his mother had always stood by him. With Mother’s Day approaching, he wanted to know if we could do something special for her. We, of course, sent her a beautiful gift and he was forever grateful. The letter moved all of us and inspired us to ask customers to share with us stories of the incredible mothers in their lives.
At one point, we were contacted by a producer from Leeza, an earlier version of today’s Ellen. This woman told us how touched she was by the stories. We ended up collaborating on a campaign where one of five finalists was featured each day the week leading to Mother’s Day, and several celebrity judges, including Jim, picked the winner. Every year, we look forward to reading through your entries and hearing about these wonderful women and the lives they touch.
Over the years, you have shared with us the ways that Mom inspires you, loves you and makes the world a better place. Two stories, in particular, stick out. Candace wrote to us that now that she was an adult, she could see and appreciate all the sacrifices her Mom made to care for her father, who had a debilitating illness, and keep their family functioning. It is an example of how moms are often unsung heroes and deserve more than just a day of gratitude and celebration.
Another customer remembered being 8 years old and having her mother tell her that she was the kindest person she knew. This compliment stuck with our customer, Emily, throughout her life and shaped her into the person she is today. This reminded us of our mom and how she always stressed the importance of kindness. We love these letters, ones that remind us how mothers impact us in ways both big and small.
This year, as always, we will celebrate all moms and all they do. We are particularly grateful for the moms who are working on the front lines of this health crisis to ensure our families stay safe, in addition to their own.
Who are the mothers in your life who matter most to you? It might be your colleague, a neighbor or a friend doing an outstanding job during these challenging times or, of course, your mom, who continues to amaze you. We’d love to hear about the women in your life doing the world’s most important job. Please share your stories with us.
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder, CEO, and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.