Planting Seeds of Empowerment
Noel (left) and urban farmers tending raised beds at an S:US supportive housing.
In commemorating National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’re highlighting how S:US’ Urban Farms transforms outdoor spaces into inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities.
In 2013, S:US launched its Urbans Farms program with nine volunteer participants at four garden sites located within our supportive housing programs across New York City’s boroughs – in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. The initial aim was to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers with involvement from buildings residents and volunteers. Michael Hollis, S:US’ Vice President of Community Food Security, takes an innovative and progressive approach to managing our urban farms program, our urban farmers, and our volunteers. Michael shares, “If S:US has access to a backyard of a group home or a building with supportive housing, we should absolutely leverage that outdoor space to grow vegetables, herbs and fruits, and provide a rich resource for our residents and the people who can work in our gardens.” Since 2013, S:US’ Urban Farms has expanded to include 830 participants, mostly volunteers. 24 of our participants are people with disabilities who are employed to work in the gardens, which are located at 91 sites throughout New York City. The program has grown to include beekeeping for honey cultivation and the construction and repair of garden beds. In 2024, the gardens are expected to produce approximately 12,200 pounds of edible produce. Training and adherence to safety protocols is provided to all volunteers and people employed to ensure their protection while working in the gardens.
There are two innovative ways in which Michael and his staff foster an inclusive work environment. Michael and his team provide physical and/or non-physical accommodations for staff and volunteers in the gardens when needed. Physical accommodations include construction that often emphasizes accessibility like high garden beds; use of electric or small hand tools which are lighter in weight than gas-powered or larger gardening tools; and job carving to assure assignments match physical capacity and strengths of the participant. In addition, urban farmers can assist with in-person or virtual training workshops or perform tasks requiring less dexterity. Non-physical accommodations include job coaching (allowing gardeners to fully engage in competitive employment, whether with job task analysis or modification, or training through cues, prompts, modeling, self-instruction or additional methods); and advocacy around S:US’ policy (such as providing language supports, delivering in-person or virtual corporate training and policy communications, liaising with administrative support departments and/or Human Resources to overcome technical barriers in completing timesheets, adjusting personnel information, addressing payroll issues, obtaining employment records, or other related areas where extra support is needed). Each participant with a disability, whether they are an employee or a volunteer, is provided with job carving so their responsibilities match their capacities and goals to grow as a gardener or provided with tailoring so their strengths are in line with the tasks needed in their position.
Angelo, a person with an intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) who is supported by S:US’ day habilitation program in Brooklyn, began as an Urban Farms volunteer by attending an educational training program in 2015. In 2016, he was hired to work in our gardens. Accompanied by his job coach Andrea, Angelo works weekly in a garden to help dig up soil around vegetable plants. He uses a mini rake to loosen soil, removes weeds and leaves, and waters the garden with a long hose. The use of smaller garden tools strengthens Angelo’s hand dexterity, enabling him to accomplish his tasks along with support from Andrea who helps him remain focused on his responsibilities. Angelo shares, “I feel good to help the garden flourish. Residents get to eat because of the work that I do (with Andrea). I like working with Andrea, I like earning money, cashing or depositing my check, saving my money to buy flowers for my mom for her birthday and Mother’s Day and gifts for my dad for his birthday or Father’s Day. I will spend my last buck on my parents.” Both physical and non-physical accommodations are provided to support Angelo in being a successful garden employee at S:US’ Urban Farms.
In 2011, Noel, who lives with an I/DD, began as a volunteer of S:US’ Urban Farms in the backyard of his supportive S:US group home in Brooklyn. He then expanded to volunteer at other program sites. One of Noel’s strengths is that he is physically strong and he likes to take on new challenges. With time and extensive training, Noel helps deliver wood and soil to new gardens and supports building new garden beds since he is adept at using power tools through his training with our team. For over 13 years, Noel has been employed as a gardener with S:US’ Urban Farms. Over time, he has proved how proficient he has grown in his role since he was a volunteer. Noel shared, “I like using the power tools and the training for them. It is fun to learn how to use them and new tools, it builds my skills. I like going to Home Depot with co-workers to pick up supplies for the garden. We train other people a lot on how to use the tools and on safety protocols, hand placement along with caring for the gardens. We do not want anyone to get hurt.” In the off-season, Noel also helps teach gardening and cooking workshops for tenants and people with disabilities so they can learn how to grow edible plants and vegetables as well as ways to cook them. Noel’s favorite parts of the job include, “…helping the gardeners relax their minds and focus, be outside in nature and fresh air. We pick recipes from S:US’ Urban Farms Cookbook to help the gardeners learn to cook with their produce. I love to go to different sites across New York City to teach many different participants. Gardening helps me relax, maintains my mind on the plants, and I make sure that the garden beds stay clean. It helps me stay connected to nature. I have also become friends with my co-workers, and I love to roast my banana squash which I grow in the garden and make pesto from my basil plant.” For Noel and his co-workers, S:US’ Urban Farms have had a positive impact on developing their skills as gardeners and empowered them to take on new challenges and grow. It is through the practices of job carving and tailoring along with the accommodations to employ people with disabilities that have made the gardens such an inclusive, impactful, and beneficial place to work and volunteer.
We at S:US are grateful to Michael Hollis, Vice President of Community Food Security, Wilfredo Illa, Director of Urban Farms, and the whole team at S:US’ Urban Farms in their efforts to help people with disabilities thrive as garden staff and volunteers!