The Smile Farms community is one that immediately pulls you in - in a way that is very unique to other nonprofits. Having had the immense pleasure to work with the Smile Farms team and spend time on a few of the campuses, it's impossible not to see the organization's positive impact and get caught in its ripple effect. Smile Farms is actively making a difference, creating a beautiful sense of community and is always pushing new boundaries. I would encourage everyone and anyone to connect with this incredible organization and team.
Smile Farms is a treasure! They encourage personal growth through the teaching and developing of skills in gardening, farming, and even entrepreneurship, all while fostering connections to nature and with the surrounding community on Long Island. Also wonderful is the manner in which Smile Farms supports the nurturing of self-worth through meaningful employment. I am so happy to have connected with such a wonderful organization. Thank you Smile Farms sponsors and donors - You help make it possible! And thanks to all the many Smile Farms employees and volunteers for making it such an exceptional organization. PS. YOU MUST TRY THEIR HOT SAUCE!!
Smile Farms is an exceptional organization, dedicated to providing meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities to support their successful integration in the community. As a result of their extraordinarily significant financial contributions, external vocational programs have been able to greatly enhance existing work readiness and placement programs, as well as develop new training and employment opportunities for people with special needs. Smile Farms’ generosity, however, extends far beyond their substantial monetary donations. From part-time volunteers up to the organization’s top executives, members of the Smile Farms team donate countless hours of their time to support the initial establishment and ongoing growth of programs supporting the employment of special needs populations. They have an unwavering commitment to bringing together innovators throughout the field to foster change and create solutions for the pervasive unemployment of people with disabilities. Without question, Smile Farms’ tireless efforts and invaluable contributions throughout Long Island have created a much-needed movement that nurtures a world where people with differing abilities are always included and employed.
Smile Farms is an integral part of our Youth Transition Services programs. Students look forward to gaining skills they can use in the agriculture field and transfer to any job they work in- organization and planning, patience, understanding how businesses work, budgeting and marketing. Students develop pride in themselves and their work, often earning their first paycheck! Participating in our Smile Farms campus builds the students' self worth and identity as a productive member of the community- and this feeling lasts long after they leave the program!