By the time you step into the new Joy Petalers workshop, the scent of fresh blooms hits you first — roses, hydrangeas, maybe a hint of eucalyptus. Then you notice the color: buckets of soft pastels and vivid jewel tones line the tables, and hands move gracefully as volunteers trim stems, tie ribbons, and chat about their day. It feels like stepping into a secret garden built entirely on kindness.
There's SUPER volunteer Julie Grimm, a master gardener, social media guru, and self-proclaimed “flower whisperer.” Her eyes light up when she talks about the nonprofit that speaks to her two passions, flowers and giving back to over 15,000 people across St. Louis.
“Everything about Joy Petalers feels special,” Julie said, smiling. “It’s such a simple idea — take flowers that would otherwise be tossed and give them a second life. But the joy it brings? That’s the real magic.”
Founded by Executive Director Colleen O’Neill Rohm and Operations Manager Patricia Morningstar, Joy Petalers began with a story as touching as its mission. When she realized there wasn’t an organization in St. Louis giving those blooms a second chance, she decided to start one herself.
Since its founding, that dream has blossomed beautifully. What began as a handful of volunteers has grown to more than 300 people who collect, sort, and rework donated flowers from weddings, grocery stores, florists, and even home gardeners. Those flowers become hundreds of new bouquets, hand-delivered to places where they’re needed most — hospice facilities, senior living facilities, homes, cancer centers, hospitals, and classrooms and other non-profits across the city.
“We’ve donated to more than 60 facilities so far,” Julie said. “This year, we started delivering bouquets to every teacher in the St. Louis Public Schools — all 72 schools. It’s amazing to see the joy spread that far.”
The new Joy Petalers workspace, which the team moved into just last year, is a cheerful whirlwind of energy. “Our new space allows for room for more volunteers, more flowers, more everything. It’s such a big step for us.”
With growth comes new challenges. “We’ve gone from free rent to paying rent, so fundraising has become a priority,” she explained. “We’re looking for sponsors and donors to offset rent, operations, and all those flower vase/food costs. Every bit helps us reach more people.”
Julie herself discovered Joy Petalers through a friend who knew it was her kind of thing. “I saw a post about a bride donating her wedding flowers,” she said. “My friend said, ‘Julie, this is so you.’ She was right — I love gardening, I love giving back, and I love the idea of turning something fleeting into something lasting.”
On any given workshop day, you’ll find her surrounded by others who feel the same — retirees, teachers, students, and even a few professional florists who volunteer their talents. “It’s incredible how people show up,” Julie said. “Some drive across town just to drop off flowers; others spend hours arranging. Everyone gives what they can.”
The impact, though, is universal. Julie keeps photos on her phone of smiling teachers and hospice patients holding their bouquets. “That’s why we do it,” she said softly. “You can see it on their faces — that moment of surprise and happiness. Flowers connect people in a way words sometimes can’t.”
As Joy Petalers celebrated its anniversary last October, Colleen, Patricia, Julie, and their team are dreaming even bigger — more partnerships, more deliveries, and always, more joy.
“Our motto is simple,” Julie said, brushing a petal from her sleeve. “No waste: only joy. Every flower deserves a second life — and every person deserves to feel seen.”
When my husband designed the flowers for our wedding, I thought it was just about making things beautiful. Looking back, I realize it was his way of saying, this matters. Every bloom carried a sentiment that somehow said what words couldn’t. There’s something beautifully old-fashioned about that. In a world that moves at scroll speed, Kirkwood Florist still delivers something you can feel — something personal. Arrangements are less about trends and more about the timelessness of care that comes from knowing the people you serve. Generations of families have celebrated life’s biggest milestones and leaned on each other through the hardest days. And somewhere, almost always, there’s a vase of flowers nearby.