FlowertothePeople

Flower to the People gives away free flowers while encouraging donations to Maine organizations working to support, protect, and defend immigrant families impacted by immigration enforcement.

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Our Story

A garden, a few mason jars, and an idea

Flower to the People started as a by-donation roadside flower stand in Gorham, Maine, to raise money for families impacted by immigration enforcement. After WMTW Portland featured the project in its "Community Champions" series, the idea grew beyond one garden.

Local growers and shops pitched in blooms; neighbors pitched in jars and vases. What started small became a community-powered effort to turn flowers into tangible support for immigrant families.

TV Featured on WMTW Portland "Flower to the People: Maine gardener selling blooms to support local causes" →

Close-up of the Flower to the People stand's information board, with Venmo QR code, Instagram handle, and a note about where donations go

Donate

We're asking people who take blooms home to donate, if they can — suggested $20 for bouquets — to Maine Needs and Project Relief Maine to help support immigrant families impacted by ICE.

Donate now →

The donate button above will take you to a Givebutter page. 100% of donations are sent weekly to Project Relief Maine and Maine Needs. Flower to the People is all-volunteer and keeps none of the money donated.

The Vision

One stand was never the plan.

The next chapter takes the same donation-based model and expands it. Here's how the pieces fit together, and where flower farmers, shop owners and volunteers come in.

Growers & shops donate blooms

Maine flower farmers and florists contribute extra stems, seconds, or a standing weekly donation — no obligation, whatever you can spare.

Stands & buckets pop up in more places

Donated blooms are arranged into bouquets and set out at Flower to the People stands, and in simple donation-based buckets in busy spots.

Volunteers give out blooms

Volunteers hand out flowers in high traffic areas, putting a face to the project and meeting neighbors directly.

Every dollar supports the community

Proceeds are shared with local organizations supporting, protecting and defending immigrant families across the state.

What We Believe

Why flowers?

The greatest gift we can give the world is to pay attention, to notice beauty, to be present, and to care about what is happening around us.

Flowers give us a chance to share something beautiful and spread a little joy. They also give us a way to turn that joy into action: to stand with our neighbors, support one another, and push back against injustice.

Where Your Donation Goes

Every dollar raised supports the following Maine Organizations:

Project Relief Maine

Project Relief Maine is a Black immigrant-led mutual-aid and racial-justice organization founded in 2019. It supports immigrant communities facing crises such as detention, deportation, homelessness, and food insecurity through legal assistance, emergency housing, food, and community defense. Project Relief's work is rooted in the idea that when systems fail or put people at risk, communities can organize to protect one another.

Learn more → Follow on Instagram →

Maine Needs

Maine Needs began in 2018 with a grassroots effort to support asylum-seeking mothers and young children arriving in Maine. Today, this volunteer-powered nonprofit connects people across Maine with clothing, hygiene supplies, household goods, and other basic necessities. While Maine Needs now serves people experiencing many kinds of hardship, immigrant and asylum-seeking families remain an important part of its work. Through a network of caseworkers, teachers, nurses, and community organizations, Maine Needs helps turn what one person has to give into something another person urgently needs.

Learn more → Follow on Instagram →

Get Involved

There's a place for you in this.

Whether you grow flowers, sell them, or just want to help hand them out — this only works with more people in it.

Growers & Shops

Have extra stems, seconds, or want to set up a recurring donation? Maine flower farms and florists are the heart of this project. Let's talk about what works for your season.

Email us →

Volunteers

Willing to help arrange bouquets, maintain a stand, or hand out flowers on a Saturday? Join the volunteer list and we'll reach out as new stands and shifts open up.