Donations Help Santa Cruz Moms In Need Celebrate Mother’s Day

From Wedding International Professionals Association: As part of a new community service initiative, the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of WIPA is donating floral arrangements and excess prepared food to underprivileged Santa Cruz area families just in time for Mother’s Day. The flowers and food, which would otherwise be discarded after the May 7 event, will be donated through a partnership with Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center of Santa Cruz.

As much as 40% of food goes uneaten in the U.S, according to Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC, a nonprofit environmental action group. Much of this food waste is the result of excess food being prepared for corporate and social events. As a leader in the events industry, WIPA is committed to helping those in need by repurposing resources from its own events. In addition to food, these resources include flowers, and even the event space and other event services where WIPA events are held.

“WIPA SF Bay Area is proud to partner with Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center to share food and flowers from our May 7 event.” Said SF Bay Area WIPA Chapter President, Cindy Danbom. “We are in a unique position and extremely grateful that all our vendors embrace the opportunity to repurpose items from our events. This gives us the ability to make an impact everywhere we go.”

“At WIPA, we frequently hold industry events and always have resources leftover that we can share.” said Jim Vetter, Director of Community Service, WIPA. “We are setting an example for the events industry and want to raise awareness for the ease with which event resources can be repurposed for local community benefit.”

“We are thrilled to be WIPA’s recipient of the food and flowers. Most of our constituents are food-insecure, so flowers are an extravagance they don’t usually know. Thank you, SF WIPA.” Anissa Novak, Business & Donor Development, Walnut Avenue.