Planting Possibility: How to Grow Opportunity Together
What happens when awareness turns into action? See how meaningful work creates opportunity for people with developmental disabilities.
Mar 01, 2026
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.
Many of the barriers people with developmental disabilities face are rooted in perception. When someone is seen primarily through a lens of limitation, it shapes who is trusted with responsibility, welcomed socially, and recognized as a full member of the community.
As a result, everyday experiences like having a job or even making friends are often limited — not by disability, but by preconceptions formed long before a person has the chance to demonstrate who they are and what they can do.
The impact is especially clear in the job market, where unemployment is more than twice that of the general population. That statistic represents millions of people who want to work and contribute. It also reflects a disconnect between ability and access that’s shaped more by assumptions than a lack of talent or motivation.
March offers a reason to look more closely at that gap. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month invites all of us to consider how preconceptions shape access and what we can do to expand opportunity.
For me, that reflection is personal.
From awareness to opportunity
I’ve written before about my brother Kevin, who was born with an intellectual disability. I saw early on qualities in him that others missed. He has a sharp sense of humor and a deep desire to connect with people. He brings energy into a room and cares deeply about belonging.
In 2015, I received a phone call from Walter Stockton, who runs Kevin’s home at Independent Group Home Living (IGHL). Walter said Kevin would continue to grow and mature if he had meaningful work. He added that many others were seeking the same opportunity.
That conversation led to a dinner. The dinner led to an idea. The idea became a solution.
Working with Walter and my brother Chris, we acquired a property on Long Island with aging greenhouses and a farm stand. With the support of partners and volunteers, it became a working farm where Kevin and his friends could plant, grow, harvest, and contribute each day. We named the program Smile Farms.
Growing opportunity
Over the past decade, Smile Farms has expanded in both scope and reach. Today, it has 14 campuses across the New York metropolitan area.
In 2025 alone, more than 400 Smile Farmers were supported through meaningful work opportunities. Across the campuses, over 4,000 pounds of produce were grown, including more than 2,000 pounds of peppers that were used in Smile Farms’ signature “Heat with Heart” hot sauce.
Restaurants on Long Island featured Smile Farms produce in seasonal dishes. Hospitality partners in New York City hired Smile Staffers. Farmers markets across Brooklyn, Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and New Jersey welcomed the growers and their harvests.
And Kevin’s specialty, spaghetti squash, has been featured in a dish at RUMBA Patchogue to great acclaim. Said David Hersh, the founder of Rooted Hospitality: “We’re always thrilled to serve local produce, but today, it’s even more meaningful for us!”
A broader purpose
The impact of Smile Farms extends beyond the produce and paychecks. It shows up in growing confidence, responsibility, and independence — the growth that comes from meaningful work and shared purpose.
I asked Isabel Londono at Smile Farms to share a few examples of what this growth looks like in practice.
What you can do
Smile Farms has grown through the commitment of people who choose to make a difference. Supporters attend our golf outings, join us at the annual gala in New York City, and purchase gifts from the 1-800-Flowers family of brands that give back to the program.
There are many other ways to expand opportunity. If you make hiring decisions, widen the door. If you own or manage a business, explore partnerships that can create meaningful work. If you’re active in your neighborhood or faith community, look for ways to include more voices.
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month invites reflection and decision. When awareness turns into action, opportunity grows — and communities are stronger for it.
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.
