Non-profit empowers individuals with disabilities through gardening skills in Winter Garden

By Gail Paschall-Brown

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    WINTER GARDEN, Florida (WESH) — April is Autism Awareness Month, and we want to introduce you to a non-profit in Winter Garden that serves people with disabilities, unique abilities and offers skills that will last a lifetime.

The Special Hearts Farm is a non-profit organization that teaches farm and gardening skills to individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

“It teaches them patience. It teaches them how to get along with one another working together, social skills and how to work out in the environment and work in society,” said Kimberly Jones, Direct Care Staff Member.

Michael Woolhouse was introduced to the program five years ago as an Orange County Public School student with the Exceptional Student Education Program.

“Come on, come on, big guy, faster this way, come on,” Michael Woolhouse tells the turkeys.

Now, Woolhouse works at the Special Hearts Farm.

“We make a lot of products here, like goat milks, soaps, soy candles, bath bomb and sugar scrubs, Woolhouse said. “We also sell eggs in our store we collect from the flocks, like the turkeys, zebu cows, regular chickens, and the ducks.”

“Duck eggs are usually used in baking, they’re sweeter, a lot of chefs and big restaurants and bakeries use duck eggs,” Jennifer Elliot, Special Hearts Farm Vice President.

Jennifer Elliot and Kathy Meena, who has a son with autism, founded the program in 2014.

“We don’t want them sitting home for the rest of their lives. They deserve a meaningful day, and they do contribute positively to society,” Kathy Meena explained.

Emily Davis, Director of Development, said Special Hearts Farm helps individuals who may have difficulty finding a job after high school.

“When they age out of school, they may or may not have access to employment, or somewhere to go and something meaningful to do, so that’s why we really exist to fill that gap,” Davis said.

Every day is different, interesting, and exciting, with skills to last a lifetime.

“It’s important cause valuable job skills and some of these skills can be transferred to other jobs,” Job Coach Emily Rouse said.

Jade McFarland has been working here for almost a year.

“I’m going to try and own my own farm and hopefully then I can transfer the skills that I learned here over to my own farm,” McFarland said.

Special Hearts Farm received a $10,000 grant from Florida Autism License Plate proceeds.

The money will support the farmhands like Woolhouse and McFarland.

“This is the turkey scratch where we feed our turkeys and chickens,” Michael Woolhouse showed us.

Special Hearts Farm is working on moving to a bigger location next year.

It will be a place more than triple in size and one where participants will not only work but eventually live there as well.

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