Combining community, care, and conservation through repurposed flowers
When Deborah Bennett joined the 2024–2025 Leadership & Society Initiative (LSI) cohort, she arrived with an intention to take stock of a decades-long career and chart her next chapter. After more than 30 years in philanthropy and community development, Deborah has been widely recognized as a thoughtful grantmaker and collaborator, working alongside foundations, government agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders throughout Chicago and beyond.
During her time in the fellowship, Deborah explored how to marry her deep experience in nonprofit leadership with her passion for exploring solutions to gun violence. Out of that reflection emerged a new vision, one that connects healing, community, and sustainability in a tangible way.
Deborah’s Next Chapter Roadmap, Healing Blooms, reimagines the life of flowers after weddings, funerals, and other large events. Across cultures, flowers and plants have been used for centuries to promote healing, a practice now backed by medical and psychological research. Yet the same flowers that bring joy and comfort also contribute to environmental harm when they end up in landfills.
Healing Blooms addresses both challenges. Event flowers are repurposed into bouquets for survivors of gun violence and domestic abuse, bringing beauty and care to those recovering from trauma. Remaining floral waste is composted through a local sustainability partner, creating a regenerative cycle and reducing negative environmental impact.
“Through Healing Blooms, I want to turn something fleeting into something lasting. By repurposing flowers, we can offer moments of beauty, comfort, and healing to people experiencing trauma while caring for the environment at the same time.” – Deborah Bennett
In her Next Chapter Roadmap, Deborah walked her peers through the historical use of flowers in healing, the growing body of research on their therapeutic properties, and the environmental consequences of floral waste. She also highlighted the benefits of flower recycling, not only for communities in need of comfort but also for a planet in need of stewardship.
“Deborah is a powerful example of how LSI enables individuals to discover meaning in purpose-driven efforts that both animate their passions and make a difference in society. She used her time in the fellowship to pause, reflect, and reimagine how her experience and creativity could meet the world’s needs in new ways. Healing Blooms is a testament to how pursuing what brings us joy can also generate profound purpose and create ripple effects of healing and connection in our communities.” says Diana Petty, Executive Director of the Leadership and Society Initiative.
Through Healing Blooms, Deborah’s Next Chapter Roadmap nurtures both people and the planet, fostering healing, well-being, and environmental sustainability. It’s a powerful illustration of how LSI Fellows transform their experience and expertise into bold ideas that creative positive change.
View her full presentation here.
The University of Chicago Leadership and Society Initiative (LSI) supports accomplished leaders in successfully transitioning from their longstanding careers toward purposeful next chapters. LSI Fellows immerse themselves in UChicago’s unparalleled environment of big ideas and multigenerational dialogue, gaining frameworks for learning from their past and planning for their futures.
Through LSI’s rigorous and customizable curriculum, Fellows engage with eminent faculty and expert practitioners to explore how their next chapter can be meaningful for them and for society. This Fellowship is a commitment to personal growth, enduring wellness, and dynamic engagement with pressing societal issues.
Contact us to learn more about LSI.
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