The New Year is upon us and with the New Year, comes New Year Resolutions. Each year the same old resolutions come up to eat healthier, work out more, drink less. Let’s change that narrative and in 2022 work to see more community engagement. There are so many amazing organizations in the Detroit Community, some […]

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Over the last four years of delivering flowers in Milwaukee, we have had the honor and privilege of being involved with some incredible charities. We have built in Milwaukee a foundation of connections and relationships that mean so much to us. So, we wanted to take a look at some of our biggest donations and […]

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Center on Halsted (COH) is the Midwest’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community center. Our mission is to advance community and secure the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland. Originally known as Gay Horizons, COH was established in 1973 as a volunteer-run telephone helpline and meeting space for gay […]

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The Downtown Boxing gym is a free academic and athletic program on Detroit’s east side making a daily difference in the lives of Detroit students. We offer education-focused programming mixed with athletics, enrichment programs, and so much more. DBG’s founder and CEO, Khali Sweeney, grew up in Detroit. He was passed from grade to grade […]

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We opened our doors on World Down Syndrome Day, March 21, 2015. We want to change the way the world views Down syndrome and send a global message of acceptance for all. Many of us have children with Down syndrome or other disabilities and want to be a part of place that will accept our […]

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A Community of Gold. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to Go Gold and recognize families that have been affected by a childhood cancer diagnosis. At Camp One Step, we celebrate the bravery, strength, and compassion of our campers and their families.  For over 40 years, Camp One Step has connected kids with […]

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For the month of August, we have partnered with two amazing Dog Rescues in the Chicago and Milwaukee area. We are so excited to be working with these two charities that focus on rescuing, adoption, and educating their communities. Fetching Tails began in 2015 with the mission of lowering euthanasia rates by rescuing adoptable dogs and placing […]

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Do not confuse the response of the oppressed with the violence of the oppressor. We are here to inspire our communities and use our voices, our bodies, our brand, and our platform to help this wave of change materialize into something lasting. We chose four affluent, and mostly white communities, where many are removed from […]

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Hello, Detroit! The Flowers for Dreams team has landed, and we couldn’t be more excited. Located next to the Shinola Hotel in Parker’s Alley, our doors officially opened February 12th, accepting walk-ins and pick-ups. We conducted our first deliveries on March 10th, and are happy to announce we’ll be open 7 days a week!  Our […]

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For the month of March, we have partnered with Sit Stay Read! An organization who works to advance children’s literacy skills using an engaging curriculum, dedicated volunteers, and certified dogs. This program originally started as a way to keep founder Mary Ellen Shneider’s older dog, Shandy, active. After Shandy had to retire from her volunteer […]

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Written by Matt Huppert, Communiations Associate at The Cove School _______________ With the light of the summer sun pouring onto his workstation, Cove School Junior Sean Phelan of Wilmette trimmed the stems on a tall leafy stock, collected a handful of multi-colored flowers and bunched it all together for a bouquet. “Are you on your […]

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Written by Emily Ramstetter & Blair Brettschneider from GirlForward _______________ June is a busy month for many: graduations, celebrations, weddings, the start of summer, vacations, and more. (Which, by the way, are all fantastic opportunities to order a handmade bouquet!). Especially in the Midwest, June is a month of transformation as we can finally safely […]

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Written by Heather Owen, Founder & Executive Director of One Tail At A Time Prior to 2016 if a family came into Chicago’s city shelter with a pet they loved but could not afford to feed, or take to the vet, despite tears and regret, the animal would be impounded. Due to constant overcrowding in […]

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Written by Margaret Frisbie, Executive Director, Friends of the Chicago River This year Friends of the Chicago River is celebrating our 40th anniversary and to be quite honest we have plenty to celebrate. Since Robert Cassidy wrote “Our Friendless River” in 1979, huge progress has been made. In the 1970s audiences laughed out loud when Chicago […]

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Written by our February Chicago charity, Resilience “Without [Resilience], I wouldn’t be alive today.” –Grace DeSant, former Resilience client and performance artist Meet Grace, a former Resilience client and performance artist. After Grace was sexually assaulted, she went to the ER, where a Resilience volunteer medical advocate provided her with care. A year later, when […]

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Written by Carmen Pitre, President and CEO of Sojourner “Through the years [at Sojourner] I have found and seen healing happen here. I have found a sisterhood of strong survivors, a building that was safer than home, and strong advocates guiding me. Here I find love, encouragement, and hope. Most important, I have found stability. […]

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Discovery World is Milwaukee’s premier, non-profit science and technology center for the whole family. Their 120,000 sq. ft. center offers fun and educational experiences and features interactive exhibits, the Reiman Aquarium, educational labs and programs, and other exciting activities. Unique, hands-on exhibits and programs focus on two areas — technology and freshwater sciences — with […]

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This is a community impact story titled “Building Champions Program helping Chicago’s youth” from December 4, 2018 written for the chicagoblackhawks.com by Fred Mitchell. Blackhawks players are veritable examples of what it takes to overcome adversity and challenges in life. And that has been their explicit message during a six-week after-school program at MB Ice Arena. The […]

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At the end of the day, this is what’s it’s all about for us. Yes, we donate one-fourth of our profits to local charities. But how do those funds get used once distributed? We asked last year’s charity partners to share their thoughts on our partnership together. Here are some of those stories in no […]

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At 26 years old, Jonny Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer and began his fight against the disease. Throughout his experience, Jonny was lucky enough to have loving support from his family and friends, but he had never met anyone his age who was a cancer survivor. Jonny wanted to talk to someone just like […]

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Doug’s Story Written by our June Chicago Charity, Aspire. Meet Doug Northey, “one of the most important people in the kitchen”. Doug is an adult with a developmental disability who has been utilizing the services of Chicago-based nonprofit Aspire to increase his independence. Thanks to his work with Aspire, Doug recently moved out of his […]

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This is an Op-Ed from October 22, 2017 written for the The New York Times by Tamar Manasseh, Founder and President of Mothers Against Senseless Killings Why is the Trump administration so obsessed with my city? Just last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a Senate hearing that “the murder rate is a cloud […]

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Written by Chandra Garcia-Kitch I’ve been a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teacher for the last 16 years on the south and west sides of Chicago. I’ve taught kids from 35 countries who speak different languages, who have different life experiences, and who bring unique stories into my classroom. I’m one of 49 CPS teachers currently […]

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Written by our COO Brittany Graunke. Photo at Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago — I’m mom to two amazing children. Over the last 4.5 years, I’ve changed thousands of diapers and washed hundreds of loads of baby clothes. I’ve read more books than I did in the prior 20 years of […]

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Written by our Lead Wedding Designer Jason Williquette. ”  I’m a gay male in the flower business.  “ Shocker, I know! I’ve always been surrounded by a loving, supportive network of family, friends, coworkers and creatives. For most of my life I’ve felt secure and safe in my own skin. From being a kid watching […]

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“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have. And I am especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories.” Oprah’s inspirational speech at the 2018 Golden Globes comes at […]

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Written by our very own Wedding Floral Designer Nancy Kierulf Our charity partner for December is Blue Sky Bakery. This is has been an especially meaningful month for me, as I’ve had a deep connection with both flowers and baking for as long as I could remember. My beautiful Mom has been my inspiration, and […]

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Starting a business is not an easy thing to do. Especially in low-income communities devoid of the resources and capital an entrepreneur needs. For some, finding startup loans, business education tools, or basic job coaching can be straightforward. For those in Englewood, Austin, and many more neighborhoods throughout Chicago, it’s next to impossible. What if […]

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Flowers for Dreams has a long history of funding increased access to education. In fact, our company got its start at a graduation ceremony, selling bouquets to parents in order to provide backpacks for students in need.  Since then, we’ve gone from funding school supplies with Supplies for Dreams to supporting mentorship for middle school students at SPARK Chicago, […]

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Many of us have experienced what’s it’s like to watch a loved one battle cancer. Some feel helpless, everyone frustrated, many overwhelmed, being forced to confront so many different trials and tribulations along the way. It is an emotional and stressful journey for the patient, as well as their close friends and family. Seemingly mundane […]

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It’s that time of year! Kids are heading back to school and we couldn’t think of a better time to launch our very first Milwaukee charity initiative: #NoEmptyBackpacks. The campaign takes us back to our roots by donating a backpack with school supplies for every bouquet sold. All August long, our Wisconsin flowers will fund […]

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Here at Flowers for Dreams, we are committed to using fresh, locally grown flowers whenever possible. We also believe in using flowers and horticulture as a tool for gainful learning and job training (see our unique partnership with Cook County Jail). As an extension of this, selecting and funding our August 2017 charity Gardeneers was an incredibly […]

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We believe art is for everyone. Founded in 2000, The Arts of Life was the first certified program in Chicago to provide employment opportunities – in the arts – for adults with developmental disabilities. They’re set on making art-based learning and expression available to all. The Arts of Life has 2 studios: one in West Town and one […]

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Every year, people from all across the world celebrate the LGBTQ community during the month of June. Through equality parades, community festivals, educational workshops, pride marches, concerts, and more, people in support of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and non-binary communities show support. In the year 2000, President Bill Clinton was the first U.S. President to […]

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Mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, girlfriends, friends… each one of us has amazing women in our lives. We value and appreciate these women each and every day. Their choices and their opinions matter, and so does their health. Amongst the applicants who stood out this year is the Chicago Women’s Health Center. This incredible organization has […]

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As warmer weather slowly approaches, Chicagoans are itching to spend more time outside. We’re ready to run, play, catch, bike, swing, swim…you name it! Our city comes alive in the Spring/Summer and after being cooped up indoors for several months, there is no place we’d rather be than a local park or beach hanging out […]

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This March, our partner charity, GirlForward, is as timely and as important as ever. Right now, our world is seeing the biggest refugee crisis ever, and GirlForward wants to help a particularly vulnerable group: girls. In conflict, women are more prone to violence, isolation, and limited access to education. Many find themselves trying to take […]

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, snuggle up with a rescue puppy from our February charity of the month, ALIVE Rescue. Located on Belmont Avenue in Roscoe Village, ALIVE Rescue was founded back in 2008 with the purpose of rescuing and providing a safe haven for animals. While they originally worked solely through foster homes, […]

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When you use Google services, you trust us with your information. This Privacy Policy is meant to help you understand what data we collect, why we collect it, and what we do with it. This is important; we hope you will take time to read it carefully. And remember, you can find controls to manage […]

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As winter approaches, our attention shifts to those who are in need of warmth and compassion. The Night Ministry, headquartered in Ravenswood on Chicago’s north side, provides a number of services to those in the city who struggle with poverty and homelessness. Over the last 40 years, The Night Ministry has developed a number of […]

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Our November charity trains qualified, rescued pit bulls to become service dogs, therapy dogs, emotional support dogs, skilled companion dogs, and working dogs for veterans and first responders in need.

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One in five families in the United States knows the devastating impact of mental illness. It is a topic that is rarely discussed and often stigmatized. That’s why Flowers For Dreams has chosen NAMI Chicago as our October charity of the month.

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We’re excited to announce our September charity! Shedd Aquarium opened in 1930 shortly after the beginning of the Great Depression as a gift from one of Chicago’s leading businessman and philanthropist, John G. Shedd. The not-for-profit aquarium offered residents a relief and aquatic experience with the first inland collection of freshwater and marine animals.

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Earlier this month, we introduced our charity of the month. An organization that pairs students from underserved communities with inspiring members, Spark does so during a valuable and significant age in their lives.

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The start of August anticipates the start of a new school year and coincidentally marks the beginning of an exciting partnership with a charity that empowers youth to succeed.

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We joined Random Acts of Flowers volunteers at Presence Saint Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center in West Town, just down the street from our Flowers for Dreams studio. 

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Random Acts of Flowers is a non-profit that creates beautiful bouquets from recycled and repurposed flowers to deliver to patients in healthcare facilities.

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We recently had the opportunity to head down to Englewood (bouquets in hand, of course) to get a first-hand look inside our June Charity, Growing Home, who will benefit from every Flowers for Dreams bouquet throughout the month.

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Our June charity is Growing Home, a non-profit dedicated to supporting healthy eating and job training to Chicago communities.

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We’re all about celebrating moms this time of year, and what better way to honor the moms in our lives than to support New Moms, a charity dedicated to helping young moms and their children.

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We’re proud to support our April nonprofit, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, as we partner to raise awareness and funds for one of our nation’s largest and most historic conservatories.

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Our team was treated to visiting UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago, our March charity, for a fun afternoon of bouquet making, music, and pizza. We met with a small group who have cerebral palsy to give a hands-on tutorial in making their very own mini bouquet.

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Meet our March charity, United Cerebral Palsy Seguin of Greater Chicago. UCP Seguin aims to create a world where, as they describe, “children and adults with disabilities achieve their potential, advance their independence and act as full members of the community.”

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Our February charity, Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, began in France in 1946 serving elderly Parisians who had lost everything and more in World War II. The motto for the program created in 1946, “flowers before bread” (still theirs today) touches us most dearly

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We’re proud to introduce the charity we’ve partnered with to kick off 2016: RefugeeOne, a non-profit who provides a full range of services to refugees who have fled war and terror. RefugeeOne’s goal is to provide a better life to those refugees and their families who’ve settled in the Chicagoland area. 

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2015  was our best year yet. From growing our customer base, our team quadrupling in size, and hitting the 100,000K total donated milestone, we couldn’t be more proud. The end of the year called for giving ourselves a small pat on the back, tallying up stats, reflecting on the year, and planning 2016.

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Our December charity partner is the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, where a quarter of our profits benefit the non-profit. We decided to go the extra mile to those directly affected by homelessness.

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We’ve teamed up with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), a non-profit that believes housing is a human right in our society. It is for this strong belief that they are fighting to put an end to homelessness in Chicago, and we get to help them out this month.

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We’re so grateful to be helping such a special Chicago charity by donating a quarter of our profits from the sale of flowers to the Noah’s Arc Foundation. The Noah’s Arc Foundation exists to help children and young adults of Chicago develop a better sense of self.

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We can’t believe it is already October, and with the shift in weather, outfit decisions, and our new fall bouquet, we’re also pleased to introduce our charity of this month, JDRF.

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Thanks to everyone who came out to our warehouse to celebrate our 100,000th dollar donated to local causes. We are so proud of our accomplishment and couldn’t have done it without you. Seriously, giving back is what keeps us going.

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Today we’re announcing our 100,000th dollar donated to local Chicago charities. Crazy. It’s a really big number to us. After all, we started Flowers for Dreams with a mere $2,000, in a parent’s garage, only three short years ago.

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We’re proud to introduce our charity partner for the month of September, Freshwater Future. Their mission is to improve all aspects of our Great Lakes’ ecosystem; from providing clean drinking water, sustaining a healthy fishing system, and maintaining clean beaches, Freshwater Future is on the path to elongating a healthy future of the Great Lakes region.

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The event is Build-a-Backpack Day, hosted by Supplies for Dreams, where we volunteer to help package backpacks with 25,000 individual school supplies.

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For the month of August, a quarter of Flowers for Dreams’s profits go toward Namaste Charter School, a public K-8 school located in the McKinley Park neighborhood. Namaste strives to help underserved children of low-income communities on the south side of Chicago. 

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We’re happy to introduce you to Working Bikes, a non-profit dedicated to redistributing old and landfill-bound bicycles to those in need of transportation. For the entire month of July, every bouquet you send helps Working Bikes and their ongoing mission to find new homes for old bikes.

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We’re happy to introduce our charity of the month, Moneythink, an organization dedicated to teaching underprivileged teens about financial life skills.

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For the entire month of May, a quarter of our profits are going toward the Lynn Sage Foundation and their mission to find a cure for breast cancer.

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April calls for a change in seasons where the snow melts away and flowers begin to bloom. With the excuse of Earth Day and Arbor Day, we decided to pay homage to Mother Nature this month by donating a quarter of our profits to Chicago Gateway Green, a non-profit that specializes in keeping Chicago clean […]

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For the entire month of March, each bouquet you send helps benefit The Chicago Lighthouse and their ongoing mission to provide opportunities to the blind and disabled.

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Each month, Flowers for Dreams partners with a local Chicago charity to give back. This month we’re partnering with One Tail at a Time, an all-breed dog rescue committed to lowering euthanasia rates through the rescue and adoption of dogs in need.

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