Our Nonprofit Organization
Our Story
In May 2016, I visited my sister, Frances, in the hospital. As I was passing by the different patients’ rooms, one room caught my attention. There was an elderly man sitting in the bed watching the television. A sense of sadness came over me. Looking into his room, I didn’t see any flowers, a plant, a get-well card, or balloons.
After visiting my sister, I walked slowly by the man’s room and the same sense of sadness came over me. As I stood there, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, ‘What are you going to do?’ Standing there, I’m thinking to myself, ‘what am I going to do?’ While driving home from the hospital, I thought about what was said to my spirit and thought ‘well, what can I do?’ Then the idea of balloons came to my mind. I thought ‘I can do balloons!’
There were no balloons in the patient’s room, balloons bring a smile to our faces, they make us happy, and everyone likes receiving them. Once I was home, I started researching balloon companies. Most of the companies sold balloons, but no one donated them.
One day, I went to Dollar Tree to purchase balloons for a birthday gathering. As I waited for the balloons, I noticed their balloon station. I thought to myself, I like their setup. I can decorate one of my bedrooms into a balloon station. I started asking questions: Where do you buy your balloons? Where do you buy your helium? Where did you purchase your office furniture? I researched the company where Dollar Tree purchased their balloons through their website and also found that Dollar Tree sells bulk quantities of balloons to the public.
In November 2018, I was on Facebook and there was an article in my News Feed about a lady named Paige Chenault. She has a nonprofit organization called ‘The Birthday Party Project.’ Her nonprofit organization provides birthday parties for homeless children living in shelters throughout the United States. Her story motivated, inspired, and lit a fire in me to get moving and to be more proactive with my nonprofit.
Her story was similar to mine as it relates to starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. After reading her story, I wrote my vision, mission, and ministry statements. Now, it was time to submit my application to the State of Georgia, but I didn’t have a name yet. I was going for something similar to The Birthday Party Project, which was going to be The Balloon Project, but decided not to.
One day in my prayers, I asked God to guide and direct me in providing a bouquet of balloons to patients in the hospitals, senior citizens community, assisted living community, and nursing home community. It dawned on me that I kept saying a bouquet of balloons… a bouquet of balloons… a bouquet of balloons. I asked God if this is the name He wants me to use. Yes, A Bouquet of Balloons!
Though there are still many pieces to the puzzle to be completed, I am waiting for “A Bouquet of Balloons” to flourish and become a successful organization.
While I am waiting for this to happen, I am being proactive!”
“Write the vision, make it plain, and wait for it.” Habakkuk 2:2-3.
~Frances~
