By: Bittersweet Team
The mission of Bittersweet Farms is to positively impact the lives of individuals with autism and those whose lives they touch. Founded in 1983, Bittersweet is the first farmstead program for adults with autism in the United States. For the last 35 years, we have provided innovative and person-centered residential, vocational, and social services to individuals across the autism spectrum.
Our founder, Bettye Ruth Kay, was a public school teacher in Toledo, OH specializing in working with students with autism. As her students approached their high school graduations in the late 1970s, they were confronted with the lack of autism-specific services available for adults. Bettye longed for her students to live meaningful, active, and independent lives in a caring community. Together with the parents of her students, she founded Bittersweet in nearby Whitehouse, OH to fill this gap in services. The students in Bettye Ruth’s class were among the first residents to move onto the farm, and most of them, now in their fifties, still live and work here.
Our founder, Bettye Ruth Kay, was a public school teacher in Toledo, OH specializing in working with students with autism. As her students approached their high school graduations in the late 1970s, they were confronted with the lack of autism-specific services available for adults. Bettye longed for her students to live meaningful, active, and independent lives in a caring community. Together with the parents of her students, she founded Bittersweet in nearby Whitehouse, OH to fill this gap in services. The students in Bettye Ruth’s class were among the first residents to move onto the farm, and most of them, now in their fifties, still live and work here.
Today, Bittersweet has three farms in northwest Ohio, located in Whitehouse (the first and main location), Pemberville, and Lima. Given the rise of autism, we have seen tremendous growth in services since our founding. In 2018, Bittersweet’s residential programs support a total of 43 adults, and 79 adults receive vocational services in our day programs. Currently, 199 employees support the high quality of services offered to those we serve.
We credit this success to our unique farm setting and model. Here, participants have access to the meaningful and diverse activities of a working farm. Vocational offerings include agriculture, horticulture, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, grounds keeping, animal care, creative arts, and commercial culinary production.
Additionally, participants take an active role in the community through volunteering. The participants who attend the day program in Whitehouse volunteer regularly at Rover Come Over Doggy Daycare, Nature’s Nursery, Hope United Methodist Church, Nightengales Harvest, and the Northwest Ohio Food Bank. The participants who attend Betty’s Farm in Lima volunteer weekly at Our Daily Bread, Encore Theatre, and the Equestrian Therapy Program.
All of these community based and vocational activities are intrinsically meaningful, rewarding, and therapeutic for individuals with autism; planned and practiced within the structure of each person’s Individual Support Plan. These activities produce transformative results.
Website
We credit this success to our unique farm setting and model. Here, participants have access to the meaningful and diverse activities of a working farm. Vocational offerings include agriculture, horticulture, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, grounds keeping, animal care, creative arts, and commercial culinary production.
Additionally, participants take an active role in the community through volunteering. The participants who attend the day program in Whitehouse volunteer regularly at Rover Come Over Doggy Daycare, Nature’s Nursery, Hope United Methodist Church, Nightengales Harvest, and the Northwest Ohio Food Bank. The participants who attend Betty’s Farm in Lima volunteer weekly at Our Daily Bread, Encore Theatre, and the Equestrian Therapy Program.
All of these community based and vocational activities are intrinsically meaningful, rewarding, and therapeutic for individuals with autism; planned and practiced within the structure of each person’s Individual Support Plan. These activities produce transformative results.
Website
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