2015 Annual Report

Vision
Flowercart supports a community in which all citizens are fully included and accepted.
Mission
Flowercart promotes community participation of adults considered to have
an intellectual disability through supported training and employment.
Flowercart
2014-15 Annual Report
June 23, 2015
Special
interest:
points
of
 Our social enterprises are
flourishing; long-standing
service contracts with
business partners are
stable.
 We won the BBB’s 2014
Ethics in Business award
in
the
non-profit
category.
 We are continuing to look
into options for a new
facility.
Inside this issue:
Executive Director’s
Message
2
Progress on 2014-18
Strategic Goals
2
Expansion of Social
Enterprises
3
Exploring options for
a new facility
4
Highlights from
2014-15
5
2014-15 Financial
Statements
6
Looking ahead to
2015-16
8
Board Chairperson’s Message
I would like to take this
opportunity to thank all
of the Board Members,
the Executive Director
and the employees of
Flowercart for their
support. Even though
there
has
been
a
learning curve, I have
personally found the
year
fulfilling
and
exciting.
ployment experience for
participants at Blomidon
Nurseries. It was very
successful. Continuing
to provide a wide spectrum
of
employment opportunities and training as part
of our social enterprises
will continue to be a
goal
as
we
move
forward.
This has been the first
full year that Jeff Kelly,
our Executive Director
has been with us. He
handled a number of
operational challenges
calmly and expertly in
order to achieve the
results necessary to keep
Flowercart
financially
sound
and
running
smoothly.
In 2013, we purchased a
piece of property on
which we hoped to build
a new facility. We
received
letters
of
support from
many
community members for
which we are very
grateful. Unfortunately,
the federal government
has not called for any
grant proposals this year
for which Flowercart
could
apply
for
The Executive Director
and the staff have
continued to explore
new social enterprises
for Flowercart. We continue to work with Just
Us! Coffee Roasters,
Omega Crunch, Michelin and others. Recently we were able
to provide a community training and em-
funding. A new facility is
necessary, as we have
outgrown our present
location and we have
started to look for
alternatives to a new
building.
We
are
presently in negotiations
with Crombie REIT for a
portion of space in the
former Zellers store.
This location would
be more inclusive for
our participants and
would enable us to
expand
our
social
enterprises.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilyn Reeve
Board Chairperson
Board Chairperson Marilyn Reeve and Executive Director Jeff Kelly
2014-15 Annual Report
Executive Director’s Message
My first year as Executive
Director of Flowercart has
certainly been exciting
and challenging. I truly
feel honoured to be part of
such an amazing organization. The Board and staff
of Flowercart have been
very welcoming and it
didn`t take long to feel
like I was part of the team.
I am pleased to report that
we finished the year
financially healthy. Our
social
enterprises
are
flourishing and our long
“I truly feel
honoured to be
part of such an
amazing
organization.”
-Jeff Kelly
As we look ahead to 201516, I am encouraged by the
opportunities
on
the
horizon. The possibility of
a new location will offer
more options to existing
and new participants. As
an organization we will
capitalize on the history
we have in developing
successful and meaningful
social enterprises. We will
also continue to expand
our continuum of oppor-
tunities for participants
rooted
in
promoting
choice and inclusion.
I want to especially
acknowledge
staff
of
Flowercart. They are a
dedicated
and
caring
group who consistently
support participants with
professionalism,
dignity
and good humour, and
they make me proud to be
part of the team.
Jeff Kelly
Executive Director
Progress on 2014-18 Strategic Goals
The Board of Directors
identified three strategic
priorities in 2014 and have
set the organization to
accomplish them by 2018.
Throughout the year,
progress on each of these
priorities has been steady
and we are on track;
highlights are listed under
each priority:
Strategic priority #1 –
New Building for PreVocational – Vocational
program in 2017
-We are still collecting
letters of support from the
community for a new
building/facility. We now
have 14 letters of support
completed and on file,
with an additional 21
pending.
Page 2
standing service contracts
are stable.
-Neither
levels
of
government opened a call
for proposals for capital
projects. This caused us to
refocus from a new
building as an option, to
again searching for an
existing facility that we
could move into.
that were focused on the
theme of social enterprise:
November 2014 and May
2015.
-Initiated
negotiations
with Crombie REIT to
occupy a portion of the
old Zellers space in the
County Fair Mall.
(...continued on next page)
Strategic priority #2 - by
December 2015 Flowercart is perceived by
Valley Stakeholders as a
social enterprise engaging adults with an
intellectual disability in
the labour force.
-Released two newsletters
in a new colour format
-Won the Better Business
Bureau’s 2014 Ethics in
Business award in the non
-profit category.
Mike building a washer toss
game in our Wood Working
shop. Last year Flowercart participants built and sold 342
washer toss games.
-In the fall of 2014 the
Executive Director was
interviewed by the One
Nova Scotia Commission.
The
subject
of
the
interview: What makes a
successful social enterprise?
Strategic priority #3 –
Flowercart expands the
range
of
services
provided to better meet
the needs of existing
and future clients during the life of the plan.
-Established ties with the
Autism NS Valley Chapter
to take advantage of new
programs and services.
-An innovative training
and employment option
for
participants
in
Vocational programs and
Partners in Employment
was initiated in March
2014.
-Began a new type of
partnership with Blomidon
Nurseries. This project
provided a community
training experience for
vocational participants.
Continued expansion as a conglomerate of Social Enterprises
Flowercart’s mission is to
promote
community
participation of adults
considered to have an
intellectual
disability
through
supported
training and employment.
We have found our best
vehicle for achieving our
mission
is
through
innovative social enterprise
development
in
partnership with those we
support, community organizations, local businesses and government.
A key element in the One
Nova Scotia report, aka the
Ivany Report, is the
recognition
of
social
enterprise as a key driver
for economic development
in the province, especially
in rural areas. Flowercart is
mentioned in the Ivany
report and singled out as a
leader
and
an
example of innovative best
practice
in
social
enterprise development.
Flowercart has evolved
over 40 years, doing
several different types of
work
and
forming
partnerships with local
businesses. In this sense,
Flowercart
has
been
evolving as a social
enterprise over the years.
We have learned from our
successes, as well as our
failures in these ventures.
Throughout the whole
organization is an entrepreneurial
spirit.
We
partner with local business
to deliver a service, like we
do at Just Us! Coffee
Roasters and Michelin
Tire. We also make
products like bread, picnic
tables, washer toss games
and blankets that are for
sale to the general public.
Our experience has led to
a diverse array of social
enterprise activity, each
designed to meet the
needs of participants.
Flowercart has never been
an organization to rest on
its laurels. We continue to
explore and expand our
range of social enterprises
and projects. We have
been very successful in our
baking operations, woodworking, packaging and
labeling as well as our
general contract labour
services. These operations
are all social enterprises in
Kings County that help us
achieve our mission.
Our success continues to
mean opportunity for
those we support, and
doing our part in growing
a
prosperous
and
sustainable economy in
Nova Scotia.
“Social Enterprise –
A business or
organization
operated for the
purpose of
addressing social,
economic or
environmental
challenges. All
profits or surpluses
are reinvested to
support community
needs.”
-Nova Scotia
Social Enterprise
Working Group
Page 3
2014-15 Annual Report
Exploring options for a new facility
Over the last two years
Flowercart has been
fundraising for a new
building.
We
have
received very generous
encouragement
and
support
from
the
community and we are
grateful for this.
“We have
received very
generous support
and encouragement
from the
community and we
are grateful
for this.”
Page 4
We have land set aside
for development; the
property is located at
9503 Commercial St. in
New Minas. We have a
draft conceptual design
from an architect and it
would be reasonable to
estimate the cost of a
new building to be $4
million. We plan for the
majority of the funding
to come in the form of
government
grants.
Given the current fiscal
climate in the provincial
and
federal
governments, it will take
considerable time to
raise these funds.
Currently
we
have
almost $17 thousand in
our new facility fund.
This is a great start, but
well short of the mark.
Given this reality, the
Board of Directors, has
decided to explore rental
options that were not
available
when
the
decision was made three
years ago to build a
brand new building.
We are currently exploring moving into a
portion of the former
Zellers location in the
County Fair Mall, in New
Minas. We are in preliminary discussions with
the property owner,
Crombie REIT. If this
exciting
opportunity could be
realized it could allow
Flowercart to grow as
we’ve planned, as well as
to develop in different
ways, and to do so much
earlier than if we were to
build a new facility.
One thing is certain – we
will
continue
to
require financial support
for moving to a new
facility, whether it be to
an existing location or a
brand new building. We
thank all those that have
supported us thus far.
We will continue to keep
our
supporters
and
friends up to date.
Devin working in the bakery. Baker’s Choice Fine Foods
produced and sold 74,159 items in 2014-15.
Our team of rubber strippers in the Michelin plant
recovering valuable raw materials used in tire production.
Our team at work at Blomidon Nurseries.
Page 5
2014-15 Annual Report
Page 6
Financial Statement for 2014-15
“Following a
challenging 2013-14
year it is exciting
to see our results
this year.
As an organization
we not only met
our budget,
we exceeded it.”
-Carrie Hemmings
Financial Director
Page 7
Looking ahead to 2015-16
This coming year will be
equally as exciting and
challenging as last year.
Flowercart
9412 Commercial Street
New Minas, NS
Phone: 902-681-0120
Fax: 902-681-0922
Email: info@flowercart.ca
Your Partner in Supported
Training and Employment
www.flowercart.ca
Flowercart will enter into a
new contract with our
largest community partner,
Michelin Tire Canada. This
year will also mark the 18th
anniversary
of
our
partnership with Michelin.
In 1998, we started working
in the plant supporting four
contract workers - over the
years our contract has
provided
opportunities
within the plant for more
than 165 people and has
created many spin-offs to
other Flowercart programs.
We will continue to grow
and develop our social
enterprise
activities
to
provide more opportunities
for participants and assist
local
entrepreneurs
to
develop their businesses.
Certainly, it can be argued,
the most exciting initiative
for this year will be to make
significant strides in moving
to a new facility. The most
probable location, and the
option that we are pursuing
first and foremost, is moving
to the County Fair Mall in a
portion of the former Zellers
space.
Please follow our progress
on moving to a new facility,
as well as other initiatives
through our website:
www.flowercart.ca
And our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/
flowercart
“We will
continue to grow
and develop our
social enterprise
activities to provide
more opportunities
for participants and
assist local
entrepreneurs.”
Thanks to all of our 2014-15 Supporters:
See our seasonal newsletter
FlowercartNEWS
for updates on current
programs and partnerships.
Copies are delivered in our
community and can also be
picked up at Flowercart.
Acadia Student Union
Agriculture Canada
All Is New Again
Allen's Motel
Atlantic Healing Hemp
Avery's Farm Markets Ltd.
Blomidon Nurseries
BungoBox
Burnt Out Solutions
C.L.A.S.
Callister's Country Kitchen Ltd.
Coldbrook Foodland
Cornwallis Chevrolet
Department of Transportation
Driftwood Restaurant
DYN Exporters Canada Inc
Eco-Crust - Joseph Cogswell
Emergency Health Services.
Eos Natural Foods (Hip Rose Catering)
Fine Lifestyles
Francois Family Fashions
Front Street Cafe
Give a Darn Yarn
Hantsport Pizzeria
Janet & Shelley's
Joe's Food Emporium
Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op
Kings Regional Rehab Centre
L'Arche Homefires
Made With Local
Michelin Tire
Milne Court Petro Canada
N.S. Youth Facility
National Diabetes Trust
New Minas Big Stop
Noggins Corner Farm Ltd.
North Corner Grill
Omega Crunch/Steep Hill Solutions Inc.
PeopleWorx
Pepperhead
Plank Industries
Porter's Farm Market
R & G - Hantsport
Retro Runway Fashions
Riven Woodworks
Rose-Marie Care Home - 3261396 Nova Scotia Ltd
Sherwood Forest
Sledding Hill
Stirling Fruit Farms (2000) Ltd.
The Loonie Bin
Town of Kentville Parks and Recreation
Valley Flaxflour Ltd.
Vicki's Seafood Restaurant
Waterville Fire Department
Wolfville Food Bank