Philosophy and Mission

   A FERTILE Foundation, located near Charlottesville, Va., is a non-profit (501c3) organization, which was established primarily to offer unique opportunities for individuals with special needs to connect with nature, animals, and their community.  In addition, we provide volunteer opportunities for the general public so they can make these connections as well.   It's our hope that our programs will be both healing and educational.

      Our mission is to offer farm-centered therapy programs; provide environmental and agricultural education; promote and build a sense of community; instill a sense of global reverence; and encourage personal health and wellness.   We will be a catalyst for change in the way that people view their place in the world.  Our aim is to remind people that they are part of something larger, a web of interconnectedness that links them to the world around them, bringing awareness to the intrinsic value of that relationship.  

Through education and fostering connections we seek to strengthen bonds with nature and our neighbors, to help people evolve a healthier lifestyle for themselves, and to encourage them to preserve the Earth.   We will teach a world view, which begins with respect for self and others and extends to encompass a respect for the world as a whole. 

Our activities create personal growth,  increase participants' mental and physical well-being, and strengthen bonds between them,  their community, and the natural world.  Using nature and animals as our medium we teach the value of trust, compassion, connection, and service.   We provide a platform from which participants can achieve therapeutic, educational, vocational, or personal wellness goals, but our focus is much larger than any of these individual components.  What we truly strive for is to create symbiosis, where participants clearly see, and come to value, their connection to the world around them; where they are both receiving and giving assistance; and where everyone benefits from a relationship that is mutually supportive.   

Goals

1. Provide "farm therapy" to individuals with special needs

• Provide physical/mental therapy by utilizing nature, animals, and the farm environment as healing tools 
• Empower participants and create the positive identity of a healer, by engaging them in the care of needy animals
• Provide therapeutic driving, utilizing a horse and carriage as healing tools (coming in 2011)
• Provide increased access to nature and outdoor recreational activities, for individuals with physical limitations

2. Utilize service to others as a tool to teach leadership, foster self-esteem, and forge community ties

• Engage participants in meaningful service by seeking out opportunities for them to touch the lives of their neighbors 
• Engage participants in care-giving roles, in order to empower them and develop mentoring skills
• Provide opportunities for participants to assist farmers with agricultural projects
• Assist participants in growing a garden, the produce from which will be donated to feed the needy  (coming in 2011)

3. Provide advocacy, care, and placement for unwanted or abused animals (coming in 2012)

• Provide temporary housing resources for needy animals and assist in finding them permanent homes
• Collaborate with local law enforcement agencies to provide a resource for placement of animals
• Act as a bridge between community members and animal-related resources

4. Educate community members about our ecological footprint and sustainable living practices

• Utilize nature as a classroom to illustrate the effects of our impact on the environment
• Encourage sustainable thinking and daily living
• Teach participants simple ways to live more sustainably and assist them when necessary in implementing changes in their lifestyle

5. Provide vocational training in agriculture

• Create opportunities for individuals to learn marketable farming skills directly from farmers
• Teach humane animal husbandry practices
  

6.  Educate community members about healthy lifestyles and personal wellness, and provide a format for them to achieve them

• Engage members of the food community to help educate participants about healthy diet and food preparation
• Illustrate to participants the connection between our food, our planet and our health
• Provide education about exercise, diet, and other factors which promote personal wellness (Yoga coming in 2011)
• Work with participants to teach daily living skills that incorporate healthy choices and activities into their lives

7.  Promote and support rural heritage and local agriculture

• Utilize a farm setting to highlight the benefits of local, sustainable food production
• Provide direct assistance to farmers by supplying labor for farm chores and projects
• Collaborate with local farmers to create learning opportunities and engage community members in farm production
• Collaborate with food advocates, to emphasize the importance of agriculture and engage participants in local food systems

Who might benefit from our programs?

• At-risk youth
• Victims of domestic violence
• Veterans
• The elderly
• People with autism spectrum disorders
• People with physical or mental challenges
• Victims of traumatic brain injuries
• Victims of post traumatic stress
• Members of the general public, who just want to connect with the land, their food, and their neighbors