The first roses
Joshua Clark began giving roses to rideshare passengers in Indianapolis. The gesture was simple, but the reactions were immediate and deeply human.
The origin
It started with one rose.
No foundation. No campaign. No master plan. Just a decision to make one person’s day a little brighter.
A story that could not be ignored
One of the earliest recipients broke down and shared how much the gesture meant at that exact moment. The mission became clear: you never know when a small kindness might reach someone at the right time.
Thousands of rides later
The roses continued through ordinary trips, holidays, hospital visits, deliveries, and community moments. More than 10,000 roses later, the purpose remains personal.
Rose Effect Foundation
The nonprofit was created to protect the mission, invite others into it, and build a sustainable path for kindness to travel farther than one driver ever could alone.
Founder’s promise
Never let growth make kindness feel impersonal.
The organization may grow, but the heart of the work will remain the same: one person seeing another person and choosing to make the moment matter.