Sonia Sosa’s lifelong passion for flowers leads to volunteering at Random Acts of Flowers

Sonia Sosa recalls growing up in Mexico on her father’s farm and playing with flowers. “I’ve always loved them,” she said, while putting together a flower arrangement at Random Acts of Flowers in Menlo Park. “Volunteering here allows me the opportunity to fulfill my passion for flowers and to help others.”

Sonia may be a familiar face to locals as she’s worked at Draeger’s in downtown Menlo for 20 years. Between her work there and raising five children, she managed to take flower arranging classes at Filoli where she got a certificate. “That experience really helped with my confidence,” she said. (Laura Pitchford, who was on hand at RAF to take photos, told us that Sonia got A pluses in all her classes, Sonia herself not being one to boast.)

Sonia originally heard about RAF from one of its Menlo Park neighbors, J Floral Art. “I thought, ‘this is exactly what I want to do,'” she recalled

Random Acts of Flowers, which opened a Silicon Valley branch in April, 2015 — its only chapter west of Chicago — hosts volunteers who create floral arrangements using repurposed flowers and delivers them to assisted-living facilities and hospitals.

“Coming here is so relaxing,” Sonia said. “My heart feels good.”

Photo by Laura Pitchford