Spaces That Last

A farm where Wil has worked over the last few summers recently closed its doors. It was a space specifically created for people with disabilities—a true project of passion and heart started by a founder who has an adult daughter with a disability. In the end, he simply couldn’t keep up with the funding.
My heart breaks—not just for the loss of this farm, but for what it represents on a larger scale.
So often, our intellectually disabled population is shoved aside. The programs that do exist usually rely on the sheer grit and love of individual families rather than sustained community support. Not every person with a disability fits into traditional employment, but that never diminishes their value as human beings, nor their deep desire to contribute. This farm was a place where that contribution was seen, valued, and nurtured.
It takes effort to make room for people with disabilities and build spaces where they can thrive. But when a community commits to doing that work, it changes everyone for the better. We’ve come a long way from the days of hiding people away in institutions, but moments like this are a painful reminder of how much further we still have to go.
Our kids deserve more than to be left behind when the passion projects run out of funds. They deserve spaces that last.