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GROWING SOLUTIONS FARM
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Growing Solutions Farm is a 1.2-acre urban farm in the Illinois Medical District, near Stroger Hospital, Rush Medical Center, and the Jesse Brown VA Hospital. It provides hands-on job training for Chicago public high school transition students (ages 16-22) with autism and related disabilities.
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Students learn to harvest food, follow food safety and sanitation guidelines, build raised beds, prepare soil, and maintain compost piles. They also gain transferable job skills by following directions, communicating with coworkers and supervisors, and managing tasks from start to finish.
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About 50 West Side students train at the farm during the school year. In the summer, 20-25 students work through the One Summer Chicago jobs program, earning wages paid by the City of Chicago.
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The farm’s produce is sold at weekly on-site and community farm stands, as well as to restaurants and wholesalers. It also offers an eight-box CSA subscription, with all proceeds directly supporting vocational training programs.​
Nearly 90% of the students at Growing Solutions Farm come from low-income families facing food insecurity. Each week during the growing season, they take home fresh, nutritious produce grown on the farm. A portion of the harvest is also donated to Grace Seeds Ministry, Chicago’s Guest House, and Marillac St. Vincent Food Pantry, extending the farm’s impact beyond its students.
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What began in 2013 as a 900-square-foot pilot program quickly grew after welcoming students from West Side public high schools. Recognizing the need to serve more young adults with autism and related disabilities, we expanded the farm’s footprint.
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Today, with nearly 7,000 square feet of growing space, the farm provides consistent, hands-on vocational training, equipping students with essential skills to gain their first job.
the sensory garden
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The Windy City Lions Club helped establish the Sensory Garden at Growing Solutions Farm in 2021, creating a space where individuals with and without autism can engage their senses in a low-stress environment.
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In 2022, NEXT for AUTISM funded an expansion, enabling volunteers from the Lions Club to plant more than 150 new plants. Each year, volunteers from the Lions Club and other organizations return to maintain and enhance the garden, ensuring it remains a welcoming and enriching space for all.
