Rural Issue

Creating ag employment opportunities for special needs adults

A Central Illinois farm is working to address the lack of job opportunities for adults with special needs.

The owner of Blue Ridge Community Farm says the concept to make their farm a working farm came about from necessity.  Laura Sniff says her 18-year-old son Jimmy has a cognitive disability and autism – and she wanted to create an opportunity for him.  “There are just not real options for employment or learning opportunities in our area,” she says.  “That’s how we kind of got started thinking about turning the farm into special needs children and adults.”

The unemployment rate for persons with disability is more than double that of those with no disability and in Illinois more than 60 percent of persons with disability are unemployed.

She tells Brownfield more opportunities are needed.  “So many times, when school ends, these individuals end up going home, spending time in front of the television,” she says.  “Finding jobs is so difficult and its really sad because they are wonderful employees.”

Currently, the 245-acre farm, which is located just north of Peoria, Ill., offers educational field trips for special education students and life skills classes free of charge.

Sniff says in the future they plan to offer employment and education in the areas of animal husbandry, horticulture, agriculture and lawn care/maintenance.

AUDIO: Laura Sniff, Blue Ridge Community Farm

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