In honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we are hosting a special episode of Celebrations Chatter with two incredible organizations doing a lot of good in the world: John’s Crazy Socks and Smile Farms. 

John’s Crazy Socks was founded by John Cronin, a young man with Down Syndrome, along with his father Mark. Together, they aim to spread happiness and to prove what’s possible when you give someone who is differently abled a chance. 

Creating meaningful work opportunities for differently abled people is near and dear to my heart. My brother Kevin, born with developmental disabilities, inspired our family to start Smile Farms.  Together with our Managing Director, Diana Martin, Smile Farms has been able to help many developmentally disabled adults find employment in the agricultural industry and beyond.

Listen to us explore what these amazing organizations have accomplished here on Celebrations Chatter.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

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Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

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Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

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It’s not every day you meet a long-lost relative and find out he’s also in the agriculture business!

Kevin McCann reached out to Jim over LinkedIn recently due to their shared family name and similar line of work. Kevin operates the Armagh, Northern Ireland-based family farm P. McCann & Sons, where his family has grown fresh fruit for three generations. 

Along with sharing about the family name and the innovation and sustainability P. McCann & Sons is bringing to Ireland, Kevin and Jim discuss Irish culture, politics, and the opportunities that working in agricultural fields have created in their lives.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

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Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

As the daughter of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants working to create a better life, Natalia Brzezinski has been immersed in multiculturalism from day one. Natalia is an acclaimed journalist, communications expert, and global citizen who has worked everywhere from the Huffington Post to the US Embassy in Sweden, to her current role at the Stockholm-based Klarna.

In this episode, Natalia and Jim discuss the power inherent to storytelling, how Natalia’s upbringing in an immigrant community shaped her worldview, and her takes on current events such as the War in Ukraine, the Revolution in Iran, and global climate change.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

February 17th is National Caregiver Day, a holiday that honors and celebrates the nearly 40 million Americans who take care of someone else - an aging parent, a child with special needs, or a friend or neighbor with chronic disease.

Many caregivers don’t realize that they are filling this role and simply see it as their duty, when in reality it is one of the most selfless thing one can do. What could be more important than taking care of another person who needs help, especially when it’s a family member?

As we’ve found more and more people within our company are caregivers, we’ve been searching for a way to give back, highlight their experiences, and say “thank you.” 

So, I’ve invited a few guests onto Celebrations Chatter for a forum discussion on caregiving. They are:

• Rhonda Klug, who I work with at Harry & David and has lead our efforts to give back to caregivers

• Amy Groyer, Author of “Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving, and AARP’s caregiving columnist

• Gary Barg, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Caregiver Media Group

Together, we’ll take a look at many topics pertinent to caregiving, including the stigmas that surround caregiving and programs that can assist caregivers as they navigate one of the most important roles they will ever take.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

Harris Faulkner, the award-winning anchor with Fox News, has covered thousands of notable figures and everyday people.  It was the true-life encounters of resilience, rescue, and so much more that led to her new book, Faith Still Moves Mountains: Miraculous Stories of the Healing Power of Prayer.

Listen as Jim and Harris discuss stories of amazing women they’ve encountered and how faith can shine through. 

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, love is in the air. As we’ve been preparing for this important season at 1-800-Flowers, I’ve also been thinking a lot recently about my own marriage and what it takes to maintain relationships, romantic or otherwise.

I’ve been with my wife, Marylou, for nearly 50 years now. Looking at the beautiful family and life we built together, I feel that I’ve really won the lottery being married to her. Still, there are always ways to help build and improve our relationships. What can we do to make sure that the most important relationship in our lives stays strong and healthy?

To help me talk about this subject, I asked my friends Angela Stribling and Lisa Concepcion to come on Celebrations Chatter for a discussion on relationships and romance. Angela is the host of the weekly relationship-focused radio series “Pillow Talk,” and Lisa is a Life Coach and Founder of LoveQuest Coaching.

Together, we discussed ways to show that you care, setting healthy boundaries, planning your future together, and so much more. It was truly an enlightening and thought-provoking conversation that will help you create a better relationship with your partner!

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

New York University’s Healthcare System is one of the largest in the country, with six hospitals throughout the city that see over 100,000 patients every year. With top rankings for patient safety and quality of care, it’s no wonder that NYU Langone has been at the forefront of medical advancement throughout their 180-year history. 

Today, Robert Grossman, MD, joins us on Celebrations Chatter to discuss his role in leading and growing of NYU Langone Health. Dr. Grossman is one of the world’s premier healthcare leaders, best known for overseeing the evolution of NYU Langone Health into one of the top academic medical centers in the nation. As chief executive officer of NYU Langone Health and dean of NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Grossman leads more than 45,000 employees, students, and non-compensated faculty across New York City and in Florida. 

In 2019, NYU renamed their School of Medicine after Robert in honor of his leadership in the historic and unprecedented initiative of providing tuition-free medical education for all current and future students in its MD degree program. 

In this episode, Robert shares his experience as a healthcare professional and educator leading a cutting-edge facility, along with the many challenges he’s faced in his career saving lives.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

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Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

There are few people today impacting the future generations of medical professionals to the degree that Ken Langone has with his leadership and contributions to NYU Health.

Ken grew up in a family of little means and worked his way to being one of the richest investors and philanthropists in the United States.

After Ken’s business success, he donated $10 million to NYU’s MBA program in 1999.  Then in 2008, in support of advancing medical technology and education, Ken gave $200 million to the university's medical center, which was renamed NYU Langone Health, in his honor.  In August 2018 Ken pledged $100 million to its School of Medicine, a donation that effectively made tuition free. Today, Ken sits as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at NYU Langone Medical Center.

In this episode, Ken shares about his contributions to medical advancement and why the work is so important to him, why free market medical research is essential to advancing medical technology, and shares in more discussion with Jim about the importance of relationships and family.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

Every year, nearly 16,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with childhood cancer. This diagnosis is as life-changing as it is heartbreaking. 

Today’s guest, Dr. Noelle Cutter, knows this feeling firsthand. Dr. Noelle is a leading expert in biochemistry, disease, and cancer, as well as an Associate Professor at Molloy College. 

After she lost her nephew to childhood brain cancer, Dr. Noelle Cutter changed her life’s trajectory and became a researcher and advocate for cancer treatment. She also co-founded The Little Louie Foundation, a charitable group that helps meet the needs of families while their child is hospitalized for cancer treatment. Noelle is committed to helping find a cure for brain cancer through scientific research. 

During the early days of the Covid Pandemic, Dr. Noelle worked in a testing lab where she designed synthetic peptides to test for the presence of antibody in patient serum.  She has authored and co-authored many publications in scientific journals, is a motivational speaker and a member of the New York Cancer Research Alliance.  In addition to being a mother to four young children, she is also an ironman athlete and marathon runner.  

Let’s learn how Dr. Noelle shares it forward today on Celebrations Chatter.

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

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Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

Can anxiety be a good thing? 

We’re giving a special focus to health on Celebrations Chatter this January, both in the physical and mental senses. Oftentimes, the onset of winter brings forward seasonal affective disorders and it’s common to experience weather-related anxiety or depression.  

Dr. Chloe Carmichael returns to share more about her book “Nervous Energy: Harnessing the Power of Your Anxiety.”  She teaches us that anxiety can be healthy, and how knowing that is the first step toward improving your mental state and getting us through these colder months. 

New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below:

Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/ 

Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/ 

Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A 

Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg 

Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/ 

Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers 

Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/ 

Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)