Plant a Non-Profit Seed, and Watch it Grow

A Shelby Township man is hoping to cut hundreds of checks this time next year to local non-profit organizations that have signed up for United Lawnscape, Inc.'s Community Rewards Program.

By completing an enrollment form, any charitable organization that refers its members to purchase their trees, shrubs, flowers, mulch and other landscape supplies from United Lawnscape’s new plant center in Washington Township, the organization will in turn earn five percent of the sale.

"At the end of the month, we send the organization a statement and then we cut them a check at the end of the year,” said United Lawnscape President Sam LaGrasso.

More than 60 local organizations, including Turning Point of Macomb the Shelby Gardener's Club and 2,600 local Boys Scouts have already signed up for the rewards program since it kicked off in February.

"We have over 100 more organizations that are waiting on their board's approval to sign up," said LaGrasso. "Essentially, in three weeks, we’ll have over 160 organizations."

Every time a shopper enters the plant center to purchase supply, LaGrasso said employees will ask which organization they want their proceeds to go toward.

"In a nutshell that’s it, we’re just giving back to the community,“ he said.

Shoppers will be able to choose from the plant center's outdoor shrubs, trees, plants and hardscapes, flowers and exotic fruit trees, such as figs and flowering cactus trees. In fact, LaGrasso said he has already had more than 30 fruit tree orders.

LaGrasso said his products will always be at least 10-25 percent cheaper than any other local landscape supplier because he has not had to expand his facilty. He simply opened the plant center, which is used for the landscape businesses' clients, to the public. 

"I had all this land, and we already had all the inventory, so we just decided to start selling our high quality products to the public," he said.

Macomb County officials will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony at United Lawnscape's Plant Center grand opening at 9 a.m., May 11. The first 100 guests on May 11 will receive free, potted flowers.

To sign up your organization for the United Lawnscape's Community Rewards Program, click here.

NOTE: This story was updated at 4:55 p.m. May 11 to correct the name to United Lawnscape.