Today we’d like to introduce you to Joyce Bellefeuille.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started the Power of Flowers Project in 2009 as a grassroots community service organization. At the time I had a home-based Floral Design business for weddings and events and I wanted to use my excess flower inventory to bring joy to other people that might not have an opportunity to receive flowers too often.
I never liked throwing away good flowers and it bothered me to see so much waste. I connected with local Funeral Homes, Event Planners and Florists and asked them if they would like to help me spread the joy of flowers to the elderly in the community. The idea took off and became well accepted. The Project started in my home with one volunteer and now resides in a 1400 square foot facility with more than 100 volunteers processing hundreds of flowers each day.
To date, we have delivered close to 80,000 bouquets to people in our community. Each one making a positive connection and powerful impact in the lives of the recipients.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a non-profit organization from the ground up – without any financial backing was the biggest challenge. The Power of Flowers Project experienced tremendous growth when we moved to a larger space where we had more visibility. In 2013 our small group of founding Board Members pursued non-profit status from the Federal Government. We were granted our 501 C 3 non-profit designation in February of 2013 which gave us the ability to do fundraising and apply for grant money.
In the past 5 years, we have expanded our programs to include Flower Therapy and Kindness Connections for Corporate volunteering opportunities that provide revenue in addition to lots of fundraising and a very ambitious Grant writing endeavor.
Please tell us about The Power of Flowers Project.
The Power of Flowers Project is known for bringing joy and hope to older people, saving beautiful flowers from being thrown away and recycling thousands of pounds of glass, wicker, paper and plastic each year.
I am most proud of the volunteers that show up every day and do the work – picking up flowers, processing flowers, making bouquets, delivering bouquets, cleaning, fundraising, data entry, marketing, grant writing, event planning – the list goes on and on. We have been fortunate to be able to hire a part-time Executive Director and part-time Operations Manager but the lions share of the work is done by volunteers.
What sets us apart is our passion for what we do and the simplicity of the idea. Take something beautiful that is going to be thrown away and give it to someone else to bring them joy, put a smile on their face and let them know that someone cares about them and they are not forgotten.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my favorite memories from childhood is seeing my father come home from work with a bouquet of flowers for my mother. My father worked in construction and then later on in a civil service job at Fort Devens in Ayer Mass.
My mother did not work outside of the home and money was tight but once a month or so my Dad would bring flowers home. I’ll always remember the look on my mother’s face when she saw the flowers – each time a big smile, a warm embrace and a long, lingering kiss.
It meant the world to my mother and it was one of my first memories of how a small gesture – like flowers – can have such a profound effect on another person.
Pricing:
- Flower Therapy Program pricing is $150 per session for up to 20 participants
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pofproject.org
- Phone: 978-226-8545
- Email: joyce@pofproject.org
Image Credit:
POFP archives
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