Rooted in nature’s ability to nourish and regenerate, Alora Farm is a farmstead wellness haven for autist teens and adults to live and work as part of a thriving community. Through purposeful participation, the farm fosters a safe environment for self-discovery, learning and personal development by teaching vocational, artistic and life skills that can be applied on and off the farm.
Every individual plays an integral role in maintaining the welfare of the farm, from tending and harvesting crops to the care and raising of livestock, as they nourish themselves and the planet.
An innovative and soulful alternative to the current day activity center and group home, Alora Farm is a model for sustainable and dignified living and employment for autists, enriching their lives with love, acceptance and the healing powers of Mother Earth.
I am Yvette and I have a neurovariant mind (AuDHD). As the mother of a beautiful autist son, the concept for Alora Farm came to me when I thought about his future and what his life would look like after I was gone. Like other parents and caregivers of Autists, we want to ensure our loved ones are safe, cared for and loved – and that they have an opportunity to fulfill their own sense of purpose.
Alora began as an idea to alleviate the loneliness that affects Autist community members. An alternative to today’s group home, Alora is built on a self-sustaining model that leads to autonomy when it is time to live away from loved ones or caretakers.
Alora wishes to be a secular place for Autists’ voices to be heard and their needs to be met, to gently support their process of unmasking and, subsequently, self-identifying. When they are ready, we provide access to the opportunities they’ll require to continue their growth.
We believe everyone deserves to live with a sense of purpose and fulfillment in an environment that feels like home to their soul. At Alora, we’re building a sanctuary where enrichment comes from fostering our talents and skills and giving back to the world.
Through meaningful activities that both heal the earth and ourselves, and provide for the community in which we live and thrive, we nurture a deep sense of peace and purpose. Surrounded by the serenity of the Texas wilderness, the natural rhythms and therapeutic powers of nature are integrated into daily life on the farm and create a low-stimulation environment where our Stewards can emerge, flow and thrive.
