Lowe's Gifts $1M in Flowers to Moms in Senior Centers

This week's The Bright Side of Retail features a curated collection of positive stories on how retailers and brands are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Total Retail seeks to inspire its audience during this pandemic by reporting on the positive stories of how retailers and brands are stepping up to help their employees, customers and communities during this challenging time. Even amidst this challenging time for the world, there are still reasons for the retail industry to be proud and have hope. Here are some of them:

• In an effort to show appreciation to the moms, grandmothers and motherly figures who couldn't be with their families this Mother’s Day, Lowe’s donated $1 million worth of flower baskets from small business growers and nurseries to more than 500 long-term care and senior living facilities nationwide.
• An estimated 800,000 couples have had to cancel or postpone their weddings due to states limiting the number of people who can gather, according to national jewelry chain Jared. The retailer is offering couples who don’t want to wait for social distancing to end a way to still have their wedding. Jared is providing 1,000 free ceremonies to couples across the country through an online platform at Jared.com/VirtualWedding.
• Reebok has launched #ReebokLove, a new program that gives individuals the chance to thank a first responder or essential worker in their community by sending them a free pair of the brand's sneakers. Whether a healthcare professional, local grocery store clerk, police officer, postal worker, delivery person or other essential worker, all are invited to nominate someone they know.
• Sephora will launch its "Project Care" program, through which beauty products will be delivered to 65,000-plus front-line health care workers and those dealing with domestic violence in communities across the U.S. Sephora's employees have nominated 500 deserving individuals in communities all over the U.S. Each of those 500 individuals will receive a delivery of 100 kits filled with Sephora Collection skincare products to distribute to their colleagues — 50,000 health care professionals in all. Furthermore, Sephora is donating 15,000 Play! beauty boxes to 150 women's shelters that have been helping victims of domestic violence whose lives have been disrupted by stay-at-home orders.
• When the coronavirus pandemic hit, it was no surprise that concerts and music festivals were among the first things to get cancelled or postponed. As a company at the heart of the entertainment industry, Fender wanted to make sure the brand continued to spread the power of music as much as possible. Therefore, the 74-year-old corporation started offering free three-month lesson subscriptions via the Fender Play app for the first 1 million users to sign up for the giveaway.