The St. Charles Blossom Project is a simple yet meaningful way to bring comfort, joy and beauty to hospice families in Central Oregon. A small act of kindness with a big impact: bringing flower donations to help brighten the days of hospice and palliative care patients during their end-of-life care.
The volunteer team creates nearly 325 bouquets each month, which are delivered to hospice families throughout Warm Springs, Madras, Redmond, Bend, Sisters, La Pine and Prineville. Deliveries take place six days a week, ensuring they always reach people when they need them the most.
“Hospice has a such a special place in my heart after having multiple of my own family members go through it,” said Lisa DeBraal, a volunteer for the St. Charles Blossom Project. “Volunteering is a meaningful way for me to give back to these patients and families as they go through a challenging time. It’s so rewarding to see how much these flowers brighten their days.”
This program first began as the Bloom Project, a nonprofit organization that provided fresh floral arrangements to hospice and palliative care patients for over 13 years. When they closed their doors in December of 2019, a group of dedicated volunteers decided to carry on this mission through St. Charles Hospice. With a new name and the same compassionate spirit, they continue spreading kindness through flowers.
Today, the St. Charles Blossom Project continues to serve patients across Central Oregon. A team of 35 volunteers collect fresh flowers daily thanks to donations from Safeway, Trader Joe’s and Newport Market. These flowers are then repurposed into beautifully arranged bouquets by the hospice blossom volunteers.
The project also benefits local palliative care facilities like Aspen Ridge Memory Care in Bend, where residents use the flowers to create their own arrangements to display in their dining room.
“Our residents truly look forward to the weekly flower deliveries,” said Deena Newman, Life Enrichment Director at Aspen Ridge Memory Care. “It’s such a meaningful way to brighten our space and always brings a smile to their faces.”
