Happy 1st birthday, KHB!
KHB is officially one year old today and what an incredible year it has been. When I look back on everything we’ve accomplished, I’m truly blown away. This beautiful community we’ve built, the volunteers who have lent their hands and hearts, the donors who believed in us before we had much to show, and the community partners who stepped in to help us navigate the wild world of "building a nonprofit from the ground up" - so many amazing people have helped us grow, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their support and belief in us.
When I (a stay-at-home mom of eight years and an avid gardener coming off my first year of growing cut flowers professionally), felt the calling to start a nonprofit, I had no idea where to begin. What I DID know was how transformative it felt to turn my own front yard into a garden. It sparked conversations with neighbors, created connection, and became a gathering place at a time when the world desperately needed that sense of togetherness.
So I did the only thing I knew to do - I went to the library. I checked out books from GRPL (shoutout to the West Leonard Branch!) and started learning how this little idea could possibly grow into something real. I sketched out the framework for our yard-share gardens - front yards donated to us so we could grow flowers for community giving - and pitched it to my friends and neighbors Monica and Sarah. I met with Julie Green, who encouraged me and helped me understand the legal ins and outs. I sat down with small business librarian Steve Assarian, who guided me through the resources available. And I reached out to my friends Corey Critchfield and Rachel Stiegler, both people with huge hearts for community and gardening, and shared the vision.
Thankfully, they saw what I saw. On December 6, 2024, we held our first board meeting and officially formed Kind Hearts Bloom.
Those early days were a whirlwind of excitement, learning, and so much hard work. None of us ever imagined that just one year later we would be where we are now. As a board, we have poured countless hours into building KHB (over 18,000 volunteer hours this year). But what has meant the most is the joy of working alongside neighbors, volunteers, partners, and donors who believe in what we are growing here in Grand Rapids.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you for cheering us on, showing up, planting with us, sharing flowers with us, and helping bring this dream to life.
We cannot wait to see how Kind Hearts Bloom continues to grow in year two, and we are grateful to be growing it with you.
-Kristen
Founder, Kind Hearts Bloom