HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Valentine’s Day is around the corner and Houston Millennials invites everyone to help them show appreciation for custodians around the city.
A pickup station located at 333 S. Jensen will have complimentary roses for residents to take to their school or work building and distribute to custodians in their building. Everyone in the community is invited to stop by any time between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The roses will have a special “Thank you” note attached, written by 4th grade students.
Ivan Sanchez, the president of Houston Millennials, recalls when he was a student at the University of Houston Downtown in 2012 and noticed the custodians working very hard during Valentine’s Day, but no one was showing them appreciation.
“I took initiative and bought three dozen roses and took it to the student association. They helped me write cute messages both in Spanish and English. [We] went to the custodian department and handed the roses to [them],” Sanchez said.
That moment inspired this year’s Roses for Janitors event.
“It was such a touching moment because some [of them] have not been appreciated like this. It brought tears to the janitors and to the students,” Sanchez said.
Houston Millennials joined forces with 10 organizations to raise enough funds to give over 10,000 appreciation roses.
“Ever since then, 2012 I believe it was, I’ve always dreamed of having another one,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said the organization’s goal is to brighten up the day of the most hardworking and sometimes less appreciated individuals in our community.
“We want to brighten up Houston, so we ask the community members on Valentine’s Day to come during their lunch break and pick up some roses,” Sanchez said.
Empanadas and finger foods will be available for those who come by during lunch hours. You can register for roses online at Roses for Janitors.
