1. Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom Conference October 23, 2015
Let’s Buy the Farm!
Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom Conference
October 23, 2015

2. Parent’s biggest fears
What happens when the bus stops coming? What happens to them when we are gone?
100,000+ Bay Area families will face these questions in the coming decade, as their special needs children become adults.

3. Tried and True (48 down -- 6,000 to go !)2 1 4 1 5 4 2 1 2 1 1
Existing Farms for the Developmentally Disabled in the US 5 1 3 3 1 7 1

4. Benefits and difficulties of farm based living
Valued work and self esteem
Communion with Nature
Enhanced understanding (“Momma, where do eggs come from?”, Birds & bees and more)
Disadvantages
Ain’t no bright lights. No fast cars. No fast food.
How we gonna keep ‘em down on the farm, after they’ve seen TV?

5. Living Unlimited - Mission
Create and facilitate sustainable, inclusive communities where people with and without disabilities live, work and care for each other with mutual respect and dignity.
a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization*
*501(c)(3) status pending

6. a diverse set of farm focused communities
Creating Options
a diverse set of farm focused communities
Resident Profiles
Special needs only
Special needs and staff
Special needs, staff and neuro-typical seniors
Settings
Rural farm
Suburban farmlette
Urban orchard
Property Ownership Models
Owned - purchased or donated
Jointly owned – with investment pool
Long term lease (e.g. 99 year)

7. Ensuring the basics Safe housing Healthy Community food
Access to the outdoors
Meaningful work
Community

8. Housing

9. Meaningful Work

10. Healthy Food

11. Community

12. LU’s development path Start Up (2015) Year 1 (2016) Year 2 (2017)
Establish board
Incorporate LU
Develop business plan
Build parent community
Identify pilot sites
Year 1 (2016)
Sites 1 and 2 identified and planning started
Year 2 (2017)
Site 1 operational
Site 2 in development
Sites 3 and 4 identified and planning started
Year 3 (2018)
Sites 1 and 2 operational
Sites 3 and 4 in development
Sites 5-7 identified and planning started
Year 4 (2019 )
Sites 1 – 4 operational
Site 5-7 in development
Pipeline for sites developed
Year 10 (2026)
25 sites are operational
75 sites in development
150 in pipeline

13. Who’s on first? Different roles for different folks
Core Group (3 – 5 Pioneer Families)
Benefactors (Big or Lots)
Secondary supporters (Potential residents)
Cheer-leaders (No such thing as too many)
Quiet observers (Wait and see)

14. How to Help Your thoughts and feedback
Join our 85+ interested families
Be advisor, volunteer or staff
ID partner organizations
Find farm sites
Funding

15. Contact Susan Riggle Waterson Alex Krem susan@living-unlimited.org
(510)
Alex Krem
(510)

16. www.living-unlimited.org info@living-unlimited.org