🌻It’s our distinct pleasure to announce this year’s returning nonprofit partner, Southside Blooms! Southside Blooms, founded in 2019, is an arm of the Chicago Eco House nonprofit dedicated to creating jobs for at-risk youth, converting vacant lots into safe and productive urban farms, and contributing to the health of the environment through regenerative farming practices. In addition to bringing green space to underserved communities and creating jobs for young people around Chicago, Southside tends bee colonies (honey available for purchase!), offers outreach programs for the elderly, and even has a program where donors can send flowers to those affected by Covid! Quilen and his wife Hannah Blackwell have been honored in local press often, including a recent article in New City Magazine featuring Hannah for Women’s History Month. It was announced just this week that Chicago Eco House is receiving its first ever round of federal funding, which make the building of the project’s first Washington Park farm possible. Currently, the organization employs 50 people annually and has 300 after school programs around Chicago. With the addition of a new farm and the help of volunteers, we hope the project will continue to grow! Southside Blooms offers yearly CSA subscriptions of their pesticide-free, organically grown flowers; Bouquet of the Month subscriptions; honey and honey candles made from their own beehives; flower donations for those affected by Covid and the elderly; cards made from flower seed paper; and catering for events, weddings, and restaurants (you can even donate the flowers after your wedding!). Check out their website and newsletter for volunteer opportunities and more ways to support! 🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼🏵️💐🌷🎍