How Cultivate Plants Help Local Nonprofit Partners
Have you ever wondered what happens to all the leftover plants at Cultivate—or thought about the old Pete Seeger song lyrics, “Where did all the flowers go?”
At Cultivate, the answer is simple: they do good within the Columbus community.
Many of the plants and flowers you see in the concourse, in AmericanHort displays, at the tHRIve stage, the HortScholar display, and other locations throughout the venue are built and designed by volunteers and that year’s HortScholars, a group of college students invited to experience the event.
What many people don’t realize is just how important the plants are; they are not “extras.” Many plant materials are designated as donations that provide a positive, powerful impact.
They are redistributed to nonprofit partners to help fund affordable housing and bring moments of joy to older adults.
The plant materials go to several worthy causes, including Habitat for Humanity MidOhio and Stems for Seniors, and the City of Columbus. Other organizations have benefited from donations in the past, including The Franklin Park Conservatory, the City of Columbus, and Homeport.
Doing Good
After the show, donated plant material becomes an important contribution to Habitat for Humanity MidOhio, and its largest annual fundraising event, a plant sale, held at three ReStore locations in the Columbus area.
Rob Huff, associate director of donations and logistics at Habitat for Humanity MidOhio, said volunteers rapidly collect and transport plant materials from the Convention Center to the ReStore sites.
When asked what was important for Cultivate attendees to know about what happens to the plants, Rob said: “What happens after the show [with the plant donations] is just as powerful as the event and that support directly fuels our mission of affordable housing by turning generosity into real square footage and creating safe, stable homes for families.”
The impact of the plant sales goes beyond revenue; it offers families dignity, a sense of belonging, and stability.
Plant Sale proceeds are an integral part of building a Habitat home. In a very real sense, the plants help build a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom, all critical spaces that offer privacy, safety, comfort, and security, Huff explains. And this year, rising construction costs are significant, and proceeds help offset building material expenses, according to Huff.
Cultivate participants are encouraged to follow Habitat MidOhio on social media to view the home dedications and connect these donations to the families they support.
Flower Arrangements Brighten Lives
The impact doesn’t stop with the Cultivate plants. The flowers adorning tables in education rooms, meeting rooms, and special events—such as the Women in Horticulture Luncheon—do not go to waste, either.
Stems for Seniors is another nonprofit partner that receives floral donations. The organization delivers those arrangements to hospice centers and senior living communities, including memory care and assisted living facilities across the Columbus area. The flowers Cultivate participants enjoy are given a second life. They brighten the days of older adults, especially those receiving daily care.
So as Cultivate’26 closes this year, remember, a simple act of giving leads to something powerful: homes built, and people uplifted.