THE SOCIETY OF FRATERNAL AID WHITE FLOWER DAY FUNDRAISERS
Every spring the Society of Fraternal Aid holds a special fundraiser in memory of White Flower Day, the traditional charity holiday established by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Maria's mother. On White Flower Day, Maria and her siblings distributed white flowers in exchange for small monetary donations. The Empress and her children also ran stalls at a charitable bazaar, often selling handmade gifts they had prepared themselves. The financial collections from White Flower Day went to critically ill tuberculosis patients in hospitals. To date, the Society of Fraternal Aid's White Flower Day fundraisers have contributed over $1200 in financial and material support to those affected by war across the world.
2022
2022 White Flower Day efforts benefitted those affected by the Ukrainian war. Clothing, toys, medical supplies, and food were collected and shipped to camps in Poland along the border of Ukraine. This is where women, children, and other survivors of the war first receive aid and refuge after fleeing their homes. Over $2500 in aid was collected and shipped.
2021
For 2021 our funds went towards the purchase of 50 toothbrushes, combs, bars of soap, wash cloths, hand towels, nail clippers and hundreds of bandaids. We then assembled these into hygiene kits to send to International Orthodox Christian Charities for distribution to at risk communities across the globe. IOCC informed us that our kits were sent with shipments to Syria, Armenia, and Georgia.
2020
Due to the pandemic, funds raised for White Flower Day 2020 were donated to the United Nations Refugee Agency, War Child UK, and the International Rescue Committee as these organizations matched all donations towards covid crisis response. The Society of Fraternal Aid raised $350, which became $700!
2019
Our first White Flower Day raised funds for the Women's Refugee Commission for a total of $100. Contributors received these handknit white flowers using leftover yarn scraps from our ongoing refugee blanket drive.