CO-OP PEOPLE
Serene acres Safe Haven Farms provides options for adults with autism spectrum disorder. BY PATTY YODER; PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAFE HAVEN FARMS
T
ucked away in the western part of the state is an idyllic 60-acre farm, complete with chickens, horses, alpacas, and a miniature horse named Jack. The human residents here — like all farmers — tend to a wide variety of daily and seasonal tasks. This group, however, receives a helping hand from some 40 staff members, aides, and volunteers. Safe Haven Farms, a member of Oxford-based Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, provides housing for people with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. The nonprofit, located near Middletown, is a labor of love created by parents so their adult children and other people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to live their best lives. ASD is a lifelong condition that affects one in 54 people. Symptoms vary but can include trouble communicating, repeated rocking, and strong reactions to sounds, scents, or tastes. It’s common for an autism diagnosis to include other disorders, such as epilepsy, obsessive-
10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JULY 2021
compulsive disorder, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Depending on the severity of someone’s symptoms, it can be difficult to hold a conversation, maintain a friendship, or keep a job. Kids can rely on school resources until they turn 22, after which parents and social service agencies try to find housing and programs to support them as adults, which takes trial, error, and determination. A solution that’s a good fit for one person can be a disaster for someone else. In 2007, seven Ohio families who had exhausted their options decided to build a solution themselves. Some parents knew about Bittersweet Farms in northwest Ohio, the first U.S. farm for adults with autism. Bittersweet and similar programs served as mentors as the seven families raised money and met with officials to form the nonprofit. After several years of effort, Safe Haven Farms opened its gates in 2011.
