WHAT CHEER FLOWER FARM IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

IT'S BEEN NEARLY seven years since a group of volunteers broke ground at What Cheer Flower Farm in Providence, Rhode Island, with a simple goal: get flowers into the hands of anyone in need of a pick-me-up. Best of all, each one of the tens of thousands of bouquets that What Cheer grows and delivers are completely free of charge.

- Caroline Fanning

"We want to blanket the state with flowers and create happiness and joy," says Erin Achenbach, What Cheer's farmer and head florist.

What Cheer regularly delivers blooming joy to people at local hospitals, food banks, hospices, senior centers, recovery centers and more including AIDS Care Ocean State, which provides support to those affected by HIV.