Hub for Autism and Neurodiversity -HANd

Come on over, we're still showing this short film today at 3:00! Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences - free, and reception to follow!

Scholarships available for community members to attend! ($350 value)

Health, wellness conference planned Oct. 12-14 BOONE — The Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness will host its inaugural Growing Well Conference from Oct. 12–14 at Appalachian State University’s Levine Hall of Health Sciences in Boone.

Health, wellness conference planned Oct. 12-14 BOONE — The Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness will host its inaugural Growing Well Conference from Oct. 12–14 at Appalachian State University’s Levine Hall of Health Sciences in Boone.

Scholarships available to cover registration ($350 value)!

Health, wellness conference planned Oct. 12-14 BOONE — The Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness will host its inaugural Growing Well Conference from Oct. 12–14 at Appalachian State University’s Levine Hall of Health Sciences in Boone.

On a quiet rise west of Highway 61 in Whitsett, a new kind of campus is taking root.

Peacehaven Community Farm, located between Greensboro and Burlington, plans to break ground this year on an $18.5 million, multi-use community center designed for people with and without disabilities to live, work, and learn side by side.

“We are creating a facility that will be designed from the ground up, aesthetically, functionally, programmatically for adults with intellectual disabilities, ” said the Chief Executive Officer, Phelps Sprinkle. “It will be the first of its kind in the state.”

The 20,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for horizontal construction by the third quarter of 2025.

Early renderings show a building topped with a solar-paneled roof, designed with two wooden stories and space for up to 300 people.

The front of Peacehaven's new community centerexpand
Front of Peacehaven's Community Center
Carmina Wood Design
Inside, the center will include coworking spaces, classrooms, fitness studios, and social halls. An outdoor event lawn will bring the full capacity to around 1,000. While the farm’s mission is to create more opportunities for people with disabilities, the leadership team envisions a place where visitors return for a farming class, a cup of coffee, or simply the experience.

“When it comes to people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities, what they're seeking is what we're seeking: opportunity and a sense of belonging,” said Cory Philips, director of advancement at Peacehaven.

The new community center is Peacehaven’s response to that unmet demand. Nearly 80% of the 1.3 million North Carolinians who have intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Carolina are unemployed.

In 2007, a group of parents whose children are among the roughly 1.3 million who have a disability created Peacehaven. They purchased the 89-acre farm in 2009.

Only about eight of Peacehaven’s 89 acres are in use now. Dubbed an “agricultural laboratory,” the working section of the farm grows lettuce, collards, green beans, seasonal flowers, and more, while hosting weekly garden days and a job-preparedness program.

Overhead plan of the community centerexpand
Aerial view of Peacehaven's community center
Blum

The goal is to keep building.

Future phases include housing that will be open to both people with disabilities and those without, alongside expanded job opportunities and a healthcare facility, which will not be integrated. Philips said they expect to grow from their current staff of 17 to more than 100 jobs by 2028, with more on the horizon.

Turning that vision into reality has required broad partnerships.

A deal between the cities of Burlington and Greensboro — Greensboro is bringing sewer service, Burlington supplying water — helped move the project forward. In 2023, the state budget included a $1.5 million appropriation to build the utility infrastructure needed for expansion.

The next two phases of the plan would bring market-rate housing, additional employment options, and year-round programming. The facility anticipates 30,000 visitors per year.

But growing the project hasn’t been without complications. Construction estimates have climbed nearly 50% from their original estimate of $12.5 million. So far, the team has raised about $14.5 million toward that goal.

Tariffs on materials and lingering supply chain issues have added to the challenge. “Like everyone else, we’re dealing with the unknowns in the market,” COO Neal Sharpe said.

Still, the nonprofit sees optimism in growing needs. Within a 60-minute drive of the farm, there are an estimated 53,500 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Expand the range to 75–80 minutes, and that number jumps to over 200,000. The team has already chosen Blum as a contractor and has completed the technical review committee process in Guilford County. With a clear timeline and most of the funding already secured, the Peacehaven team is moving quickly.

“By and large, we thought this was a 10-year vision to build out this full campus,” Sharpe said. “Now, with the momentum and the conversations and excitement that we're having, we think it's probably condensed down to more of a five-year goal.”

The fields beyond the barn, for now, remain open. But by next fall, a new community center and a new kind of community could be standing in their place.

Reminder to RSVP by Thursday, December 5th.
[email protected]

Know a child on the autism spectrum in the 8-18 age range? We still have a few spots open at Camp Crinkleroot this Sunday, Oct. 27. Registration is required - please share!

Some Places are Different After the Storm

A big storm named Helene caused damage to some parts of my city.

Before the storm, people could go to many places in my city. They could go to places like stores, restaurants, libraries, and parks. Now, some things are different.

Some places are closed. They might be closed because the building does not have power or running water. Or, they might be closed because there is damage to the building. Or, they might be closed because there is damage to the roads that lead to the building.

Some of these closed places will open again after things are fixed. Some of these closed places may not open again. It’s hard to know right now which places will reopen. It’s also hard to know when places will reopen if they do.

Some places, like restaurants, are open again after the storm, but they are different. Some restaurants might be open for shorter hours. Some restaurants might be open but only have a limited menu. Some restaurants might only be doing take-out instead of letting people eat inside.

Eventually, some restaurants will be able to open for more hours. Some restaurants will be able to serve all of the foods they served before the storm. Some restaurants will open up their dining areas again for people to eat inside.

Some places, like parks, are open again after the storm but look different. At some parks, the playground equipment may be damaged. It is not safe to go near damaged equipment. So even if the park is open, people need to stay away from the damaged areas.

Because of the damage from Helene, my family may need to go places that we didn’t go to before the storm. We may need to shop at a different grocery store. We may need to get food from a different restaurant. We may need to take different roads to go places.

There are also places that we can still go to like we did before the big storm. And, people are working hard to keep fixing the damage from Helene. As people keep working, there will be more places that we can go.

--- Social Story by Evelyn Chiang, UNC-Asheville

If you are at a loss for words to explain school closings due to Hurricane Helene to your Pre-K through 12th grader, try reading them this Social Story, created by Evelyn Chiang, a professor at UNC-Asheville.

My School is Closed Right Now

My school is closed right now. Teachers and students are not going to school as they usually do. A big storm named Helene caused a lot of damage where I live. The storm caused damage to my city’s power and water systems. Some buildings and roads were also damaged.

It is going to take time to fix all of the damage. People are working hard on fixing everything right now.

The schools in my area are closed because some schools do not have electricity or water. Teachers and students need to have electricity so that the lights and computers work. Water is needed so everyone can flush the toilets and wash their hands. Teachers and students will be able to go back to school when power and water are restored.

Right now, nobody knows how long my school will stay closed. The school officials will let us know when the schools are safe to reopen. Then I can go back to school.

My family may give me other things to learn while my school is closed.