Our son Creig has autism. For the first part of his life, we spent countless hours on many kinds of therapy for him, as well as researching different methods and programs. We had a lot of anxiety over what his life was going to look like once he became an adult. Our most optimistic hope for Creig was that someday he would be happy in some sort of a day program doing activities he enjoyed.
When we crossed paths briefly with the Judd family eight years ago, we had no idea what an impact they would ultimately have on our lives. When Creig’s day program shut down in Orange County, due to Covid-19, I reached out to Danielle to ask if Creig might be able to do some volunteer work on their farm. Creig loves animals so we hoped there would be something he could do on the farm. I explained to Danielle that if she could find a fit for Creig we would also provide a helper to be with him. Danielle was immediately supportive of the idea and has become one of Creig’s biggest fans.
For those who have a special needs child in their lives, you can appreciate what this opportunity means to Creig and our family. Creig went from reluctantly participating in a day program that most days we had to fight him to go to, to now feeling like he has a place where he can truly contribute, work hard, and develop important skills that he can use in other life situations in the future. At FHR they make Creig feel needed and missed on days when he cannot go to work. All of the animals have a rescue story and by going there and helping, Creig feels like he too is helping save these animals. Working hard is important to Creig and gives him a wonderful sense of self worth. He loves to do things like clean up the stalls and feed the rescue animals that he loves.
Creig has sensory issues, due to his autism, but for some reason he can stand in a chicken coop cleaning their nests with chickens flying everywhere and it doesn’t bother him. In fact, it has become one of his favorite jobs!
Creig started at the farm as a volunteer but was recently given the opportunity to work at the farm. We fund his salary but being able to say that he has a job that he gets paid to do is something Creig really loves! He comes home tired some days from working but without fail he tells us that he always has “great days” at the farm. He also gets a lot of fulfillment from receiving his little salary. Not long ago, we would not have even dared to dream that we would have found something as perfect as this arrangement for our son.
The Judds truly make it happen at FHR. Every time Creig goes to FHR his world is broadened. He gets to meet new people, have fun conversations with other volunteers, and joke with Danielle about the Rock. He gets to learn about the animals and how to care for them, developing real world skills. Creig is able to feel unconditional love from the animals and the wonderful people he interacts with at FHR.
This special place is a safe haven for Creig and everyone else who gets to step foot on the property. It is a gift we do not take for granted. The time spent at FHR is time that Creig is not self- stimming and retreating into his own inner, isolated world.
We have seen that Creig’s job at the farm is causing him to become more confident in other areas of his life as well. Because he feels like he is doing such a great job at the farm, he knows he can do other things that he wouldn’t previously attempt. We are so grateful for the acceptance and love Creig has received at FHR and that we see extended to so many others at this special place. It has truly been a life-changing opportunity for our son.
