Roger McKinney, pastor of Hiram Christian Church, and Gail, his wife, knew all too well the concerns of families dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Having raised their son, Shawn, who has ASD, to young adulthood, they sought services to support him throughout his adult life.
Today, through their tenacity and a creative and multi-partnered venture that includes Church Extension, as many as 50 young adults like Shawn will have Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community as a resource. Already 12 people are part of the project.
An official ministry of the Christian Church in Ohio, with Hiram Christian Church as its founding partner, the Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community was launched in June 2009 on 120 acres owned by a Hiram Christian Church member, who left the land in a trust to be preserved as an organic farm.
From the beginning, the possibility of a place "that provides opportunities for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder to grow, learn, work and live in a setting focused on respect and support for individuals and the environment" seemed like a prayer answered for the McKinneys. They were not alone. Two other families dealing with ASD were members of nearby Disciples churches.
From their common need and vision, and with the support and encouragement of their congregations and region, they collaborated with additional partners to make Hiram Farm a reality.
The organizing committee first found support from individuals and congregations; service reimbursement from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities; and partnership with local school districts that are required to provide services to young adults with ASD.
But partnerships didn’t stop there. Additional partners include ministries that have adopted Hiram Farm Living as a mission project:
- Nearby Disciples-related Hiram College
- Disciples Home Missions/United Church of Christ (for mission trip opportunities)
- Disciples Ohio Region’s Advanced Conference (young adult ministry)
Furthermore, Disciples Benevolent Services is on tap to sponsor a planned future phase of the project through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide residential housing for program clients.
At the request of Pastor McKinney and other organizers, Church Extension has approved a line of credit, secured by an assignment of Church Extension Investment Notes, to help Hiram Farm pay for payroll and other expenses in the case of unexpected delays in reimbursement and unforeseen needs in the first few months of operation. Individuals who invest at Church Extension to collateralize the line of credit may have a family member in the program or may be familiar with it through their supporting congregation, so they would have a personal attachment to the success of this ministry.
According to McKinney, the Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community is well on its way to fulfilling its mission, which includes raising awareness about ASD and fostering an appreciation for the benefits of organic sustained farming.
The Farm now has five full-time staff and 12 participants, 20 to 35 years old. The program is intentionally being phased in gradually, with plans to ultimately serve a maximum of 50 adult participants.
Its focus centers on farm activities, such as vegetable gardening, animal care, crop harvesting and farm maintenance – all designed to provide meaningful daily experiences for participating adults, with the additional commitment to developing the land with respect for the environment.
This spring, Hiram Farm will break ground on an energy-efficient, 2,000-square-foot straw-bale building, which is the first of its kind in Ohio to be used for this type of program. It will house administrative offices and many of the program’s activities, and it will serve as another example of the Farm’s commitment to sustainability.
McKinney emphasizes that Hiram Farm has become a reality because people came together to serve others – as supporters, organizers, regional representatives, volunteers, funding sources, investors, agency partners: God’s spirit-filled and caring people.
"Partnership is an expression of how things ought to work in the church," he says. "When there is a compelling shared vision of how things ought to work, people respond!"
By: Katie Marlowe
Assistant Vice-President for Marketing and Communication
Church Extension, [email protected]
