When three Hingham children, Elinor, Audrey and Henry Smith realized that they had extra time on their hands during COVID quarantine, they sought out a way to use their time to help others. After becoming frustrated that their sewing skills were not good enough to make masks for health care workers, they brainstormed to come up with another way to help.
Then they had the idea to fill the town with sunflowers - planting hope for the days ahead when they would bloom all over Hingham. They started planting seedlings on May 4th and have planted a total of 492 pots. Every day they bring the pots outside in the morning to enjoy the sun, they water them and then they bring them back inside at night to protect them from the cold and the critters.
The three Smith children have done nearly all of the work themselves. They selected the seeds and the growing materials, care for the seedlings with sun, water and shelter, created their own logo, a Facebook page, an Instagram page and they have tracked their inventory and donations along the way.
They have also given each seedling a name (Joe Exotic, Carol Baskin, John B. and Chuck Bass were in high demand) which has been well received by donors who say they feel more responsible for the seedling since it is named.
Last weekend they sold over 180 seedlings thanks to amazing support from friends, family, neighbors and the St. John's community. This weekend they want to find homes for the rest of the seedlings and they will be selling them contact free (using venmo) in the Smith's driveway.
Elinor Smith is an 8th grader at Hingham Middle School, Audrey Smith is a 6th grader at Hingham Middle School and Henry Smith is a 4th grader at Foster Elementary School.
To purchase sunflowers, visit the facebook page for their hours of operation and address.
*These are the charities, with the Smith kids' explanation for how each was selected.
WOMANADE - We have a strong connection to Womanade. We have participated in fundraisers for this cause in the past (such as Lemonade for Womanade) and we greatly support their mission. They are a non profit that is dedicated to quietly and efficiently providing financial help to neighbors in need. During the COVID pandemic, this is a very important cause - people have gotten sick or lost their jobs and many are struggling. We want to help them. Womanade
THE CHARITY GUILD - The Charity Guild is a food pantry and thrift store. They provide food for struggling families in Brockton, Massachusetts. They also sell clothing in a thrift store for families in need. Our mother grew up in Brockton and we want to help any way we can. Brockton has been particularly hard hit by COVID and we want to help hungry families that live in our mom's hometown. The Charity Guild, Inc.
LAUNDRY LOVE - Our church, St. John's in Hingham, started a local Laundry Love in Weymouth and Hull. Their mission is to provide free clean laundry for those unable to do laundry at home. We join them in believing that having clean clothes is an important part of someone's dignity. And it can mean a lot to someone with just a little effort. Twice a month, people are given the gift of clean clothes by meeting them at the laundromat, giving them detergent and paying for their clothes to be cleaned. St. John the Evangelist (Hingham, MA)
