The Friendships That Blossom at Smile Farms
How meaningful work, mutual respect, and shared purpose help friendships take root and flourish at Smile Farms.
Jul 20, 2025
Written by our Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
Ten years ago, my family and I started Smile Farms with a simple idea: to help people with disabilities gain meaningful employment through hands-on work in agriculture. It was inspired by my brother Kevin, who was born with a cognitive disability and, like so many others, faced obstacles finding a job despite being ready and able to work.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only about 22% of working-age individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are employed compared with 65% of the general population. We wanted to change that.
Since 2015, Smile Farms has grown in ways we never could have imagined. What began as a single location on Long Island has expanded into more than a dozen campuses across the New York metro area. Smile Farmers now grow fresh vegetables for local restaurants and cultivate peppers for their very own “Heat with Heart” hot sauce. Along the way, hundreds of individuals have gained hands-on experience in agriculture and, more recently, hospitality.
But the impact goes far beyond jobs. Smile Farms has become a place where lasting friendships take root. Through shared responsibilities and achievements, the farmers and team members are building connections that enrich every part of life. It’s a reminder to everyone that work is more than just a paycheck. It’s about purpose, pride, and belonging.
The friends of Smile Farms
As we celebrate Friendship Month, I wanted to spotlight a few of the friendships that have formed at Smile Farms over the years. I asked Isabel Londono, our wonderful program coordinator, to share a few stories that show how these connections are woven into work.
One of the first stories she mentioned involved the “Smile Sellers”: Ray, Kenny, Kevin, and Michael of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises (FREE). These four have been friends for more than nine years, growing together through every season.
“They’re like brothers,” Isabel says. “They tease each other, they help each other out, and they have this deep sense of responsibility toward one another.”
As Smile Sellers, they serve as ambassadors, representing Smile Farms at farmers markets and community events. But their connection runs deeper than their shared role. Whether they’re setting up a table, greeting customers, or cracking jokes between sales, they bring professionalism and heart to everything they do.
“They don’t just work together,” Isabel adds. “They even spend their paychecks together!”
Growing flowers and a relationship
The next story is especially close to my heart — it’s about my brother Kevin.
Kevin and Michele have shared a remarkable friendship while working as Growers at the Independent Group Home Living (IGHL) Smile Farms campus in Center Moriches, New York. Over time, their bond blossomed into something even more special: a romantic relationship built on kindness, teamwork, and mutual respect.
“They’ve been side by side for decades,” Isabel says. “You can see the connection they have. It’s rooted in friendship, and it’s grown into something truly beautiful.”
At work, Kevin and Michele collaborate with their fellow greenhouse team members to cultivate flowers and plants. If you watch closely, their support for each other shines through in the way they communicate, the way they work together, and the pride they take in their work.
“Their story is a reminder that when people feel valued and connected, anything can bloom,” Isabel says.
Friends cook up a career
Bernardo and Chadler, students at Nassau BOCES’ Center for Community Adjustment, are gaining real-world culinary experience through their internship at Small Batch in Garden City, New York. From prepping ingredients to cleaning up after service, they approach each task as a team.
“They support each other every step of the way,” Isabel says about this dynamic duo. “Their friendship makes every challenge easier and every success more meaningful.”
In addition to culinary skills, they’re building confidence and responsibility, which are all tools that will serve them in any future role. And just as important, they’re learning that work is more fulfilling when shared with someone who’s cheering you on.
A friendship rooted in growth
At Constructive Partnership Unlimited’s Smile Farms campus in Staten Island, New York, James and Kevin cultivate vegetables while nurturing confidence and teamwork.
Kevin, who serves as farm manager, brings deep knowledge and leadership to the role. With a master’s degree in biology, he oversees crop health and helps keep pests away from the peppers used in our Heat with Heart hot sauce.
Together with James, the two have created a space where others feel empowered to get their hands dirty and try something new. They demonstrate tasks and bring positive energy to the greenhouse every day.
“James and Kevin set the tone,” Isabel says. “They lead with kindness, and others naturally follow their example.”
Inspiration for everyone
These stories from across Smile Farms illustrate something we often forget: Work isn’t just about what we produce, but also how we grow. The routines, the teamwork, and the shared accomplishments create a community of connection and belonging.
For people with developmental disabilities, the opportunity to work can be life-changing. But truth be told, the benefits we see at Smile Farms aren’t unique to just one workplace. All of us need purpose. We all thrive on being part of something bigger than ourselves. And we all grow through the friendships that form when we show up, contribute, and care.
That’s the deeper mission of Smile Farms. Yes, we’re helping people learn skills and find meaningful employment. But, we’re also proving something more profound: When you build workplaces around inclusion, dignity, and connection, everyone flourishes.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
