New Lebanon nonprofit seeks to reduce floral waste

Courtesy Grateful Vase

Lindsey Curry's Grateful Vase began serving southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas last month.

A new Lebanon-based nonprofit that is seeking to reduce floral waste got its start last month.

Lindsey Curry said her nonprofit, called Grateful Vase, began its services on June 10 after she founded the organization in February with the idea of retrieving used floral arrangements and repurposing them for long-term care and nursing facilities. Curry said she had noticed floral waste at many large events in her life, and she came up with the idea while visiting her grandparents during their time living in nursing homes. Her grandma mentioned how, if she had leftover flowers, she would have liked to give them to those in long-term care facilities.

“I noticed from having my own wedding, and being a host at different showers, that a lot of us didn’t know what to do with the flowers afterwards,” Curry said. “In December, I was part of a bridal workshop, and we had tons of flowers there that we needed to get rid of after the event. I just decided to take it to a nursing home. I decided this needed to be a thing.”

With the help of volunteers, Curry travels across southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas, picking up flowers from wedding venues or funeral homes and delivering them to long-term care and nursing facilities. Flowers in vases can be delivered immediately, while flowers in arrangements are brought back to Curry’s home in Lebanon for repurposing.

Currently, Curry does not have a brick-and-mortar location but hopes to add one as the organization expands, noting she is the sole employee. She said the nonprofit is funded by donations from supporters and is partnered with Tesori Bridal in northwest Arkansas. Curry hopes to build connections in Springfield as the business grows.

Curry declined to disclose startup costs for Grateful Vase, but said she is hoping to expand her services to include gift baskets for caregivers and balloon deliveries. She said she has already seen the impact Grateful Vase has had on the community.

“It’s a surreal feeling that I can give back to other people’s loved ones because I know how much that means,” Curry said. “I know what a difference it makes in their day. Making them smile just once, when they might not have gotten to, makes a big difference.”