Learning 4 Life (L4L) Farm is a 7-acre nonprofit farm in Johnstown, Ohio. L4L is home to diverse gardens, several beehives, and dedicated therapy alpacas to provide transition job training for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum.
Program participants are trained and are able to do many different jobs (depending on what they are interested in and their level of need!) such as: care for the bees, work with our alpacas, tend to gardens, sell produce, and more! All of these jobs are ways for students to develop their job skills, confidence, and abilities, and to aid them in working towards employment in the community through our job training program.
Hand in hand with our students, we have developed an animal assisted alpaca therapy program for children and adults on the autism spectrum (which is one of only a few in the world specifically tailored for autism!). The students have also had a significant role in making the farm a therapeutic space for future students, creating organic gardens for food, and putting up pollinator habitats!
The Need:
Staffed by a group of passionate people, Jill, Jamie, Amanda, Bradi, and Anna Clare (check out our staff page to learn about us!) and overseen by a Board of Directors, Learning 4 Life Farm was established as a 501c3 nonprofit in February 2019 to launch a new and unique transition job training program for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. Parents, staff and administrators at TLS saw the need for this transition program as students with autism are graduating high school without the skills to succeed in jobs and live independently: an estimated 85% of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed and only 17% live on their own. Learning 4 Life Farm was established to focus on the root causes of that problem, empower young adults with autism, and make a clear difference in their quality of life.
Our Programs:
Currently, our farm is up and running! We have a fully operational barn and shop, pastures, gardens and greenhouses. We are still actively fundraising to further develop our program and take care of our many areas!
Our gardens are maintained with help from staff and community volunteers and support from local businesses.
Program participants are trained and are able to do many different jobs (depending on what they are interested in and their level of need!) such as: care for the bees, work with our alpacas, tend to gardens, sell produce, and more! All of these jobs are ways for students to develop their job skills, confidence, and abilities, and to aid them in working towards employment in the community through our job training program.
Hand in hand with our students, we have developed an animal assisted alpaca therapy program for children and adults on the autism spectrum (which is one of only a few in the world specifically tailored for autism!). The students have also had a significant role in making the farm a therapeutic space for future students, creating organic gardens for food, and putting up pollinator habitats!
The Need:
Staffed by a group of passionate people, Jill, Jamie, Amanda, Bradi, and Anna Clare (check out our staff page to learn about us!) and overseen by a Board of Directors, Learning 4 Life Farm was established as a 501c3 nonprofit in February 2019 to launch a new and unique transition job training program for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. Parents, staff and administrators at TLS saw the need for this transition program as students with autism are graduating high school without the skills to succeed in jobs and live independently: an estimated 85% of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed and only 17% live on their own. Learning 4 Life Farm was established to focus on the root causes of that problem, empower young adults with autism, and make a clear difference in their quality of life.
Our Programs:
Currently, our farm is up and running! We have a fully operational barn and shop, pastures, gardens and greenhouses. We are still actively fundraising to further develop our program and take care of our many areas!
Our gardens are maintained with help from staff and community volunteers and support from local businesses.