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Florist employees laid-off due to COVID-19 give away flowers for food

Posted at 7:16 PM, Mar 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-25 22:52:01-04

PHOENIX — When COVID-19 forced event cancellations around the Valley, Mayesh Florist employees were left jobless with an overflow of inventory.

"Most of the product was already en route and we couldn't cancel,” said Krista Hamas.

That means $80,000 worth of luxury flowers were destined for the dumpster. Mayesh's Phoenix location saw 150 event cancellations in a single week.

"We had this cooler full of amazing inventory. We got to make lemonade out of the lemons we've been handed," said Hamas.

"The sadness is just going to bring us down. We need happy,” fellow employee Claire Martza added.

So, they decided to give away happiness in the form of bouquets almost for free.

"We just want a donation in return. To be able to support all of these families that are struggling including our own,” said Hamas.

Non-perishable food donations will be donated to the Paradise Valley Emergency Food Bank as the Mayesh employees wait for normalcy and their jobs to return.

Martza says, "If we can put some smiles on some faces with flowers. It's better than going to the dumpster and feeling so sad that we lost our jobs."

We're Open, Arizona: We know this is a tough time for a lot of people in our community, including local restaurants and businesses. As local spots continue to serve takeout, look for ways to safely do business, and give back to our community, we want to share their stories. Visit abc15.com/open or email us at OpenInAZ@abc15.com.