What's the Flower Farm's mission and history?

What Cheer Flower Farm is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing solace, joy and healing to our neighbors in need all across Rhode Island’s via recycling flowers as well as supporting our local floral economy via job training.

We grow, rescue and donate over 100,000 flowers per year and plan to expand to giving away 300,000 flowers per year in the next five years. Our flowers are given away freely via our network of local nonprofits, community groups, and organizations serving Rhode Islanders at risk including hospitals, senior services, recovery centers, shelters, hospices and food pantries.

2023 Achievements
  • Demolition of contaminated former factory site is completed

  • $500,000 grant awarded by Environmental Protection Agency for brownfield remediation

  • $1,000,000 anonymous donation from the R.I. Foundation for demolition of the buildings

  • $300,000 grant awarded by Commerce RI for environmental remediation

  •  $5,000 grant awarded by Roy A. Hunt for the farm and floristry programs

2022 Achievements

  • 92,000 flowers grown, rescued and donated

  • $50,000 grant won from United Way/Social Enterprise Greenhouse

  • Relaunched Flower Festival named “The Best Thing to Do in RI” by The Boston Globe

2021 Achievements

  • 85,000 flowers grown, rescued and donated

  • CheerMobile purchased with donated funds for flower delivery program

  • Received Special Recognition from RI Governor McKee

2020 Achievements

  • 50,000 flowers grown, rescued and donated (throughout the pandemic)

  • Pollinator garden planted and Flower Farm Barn erected

  • Grants won from Citizens Bank, the Garden Club of America and the June Rockwell Levy Foundation

2019 Achievements
  • 44,500 flowers grown, rescued and donated

  • Annual Flower Festival launched attracting 700+ attendees

  • Grants won from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Rhode Island Foundation, RISCA and RI DEM

2018 Achievements

  • 10,000 flowers grown and donated

  • 2.7 acres of former factory land acquired in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood

  • $50,000 RI DEM grant won to remove pollutants from former factory contamination on site

2017 Achievements

  • What Cheer Flower Farm founded by three Rhode Islanders
  • Initial funds to purchase land secured from private donors
70

Years of
Giving

11000
+

floral
deliveries

15000

incredible
volunteers

3600
K

stems
donated