Community
Local Non-Profit Peachtree Farm Continues to Be a Haven for Adults with Disabilities
Peachtree Farm’s history
Peachtree Farm is a non-profit community-based organization that provides services to adults with intellectual developmental disabilities. Located off Technology Parkway, Peachtree Farm is an exceptional place for adults with disabilities to live, work and thrive.
Peachtree Farm was founded by Mike Twiner and Mary Twiner and opened in 2021. Their son Joe Twiner, the Executive Director at Peachtree Farm, has worked closely with the non-profit since its origins.
The beginnings of Peachtree Farm are traceable back to the Twiner family’s experience within the disability community. Displeased with the job options for their daughter with disabilities, Quinn Twiner, the Twiner family set out to create a solution to their problem.
“Two years ago, she [Quinn] was still in school, and we were not thrilled with a lot of the job options that are out there or with the vocational training options that were out there,” said Joe Twiner. “We knew that there was a strong need for job services and for a place where people can come and spend their time and develop an identity, develop a meaning and a purpose in their work.”
With a goal in mind to create a space to give adults with disabilities job opportunities and vocational training, Peachtree Farm was established. The organization focuses on empowering the adults involved in their program by supporting them in a way that they can live and work independently and develop independent living and working skills.
The adults with disabilities who come to work on the farm are given the title of farmers once they join the program. Additionally, through the supported employment program, adults will work on the farm four times a week, completing work such as planting, growing and harvesting crops.
The farm
Peachtree Farm is comprised of a greenhouse, hydroponics, a chicken coop and many plant beds that grow assorted crops depending on the season. The farm even has a canine helper, Daisy, a golden retriever farm dog.
Additionally, the farm hosts many events such as farmer’s markets with freshly grown crops, spring plant sales and one of their leading events annually, Tailgate for Tomatoes. Tailgate for Tomatoes is hosted at the farm and includes raffles, a tomato catapult and, of course, lots of tomatoes.
In addition to these future events in store, Peachtree Farm also has much larger plans in store for their non-profit. While the farm may be a workspace now, the Twiner family plans to start installing farm homes on the farm in the future.
“We have seven full-time employees, farmers and 12 of our volunteers,” said Joe Twiner. “But the number one thing holding our program back from growing more is that we need our own space. We need a restroom and kitchen out here, so we want to build two farmhouse-style houses.”
Of the two farmhouses, one house will be an office and the other house will be a seed which will begin the independent living community for the farmers at Peachtree farm. Each home will be a four-bedroom house for adults with disabilities to live in, making working at the farm more accessible.
Further, the non-profit is working to expand its agriculture as well. Currently, the farm is working with the USDA to install another greenhouse. This will be a high-calorie greenhouse that will serve their plant nursery.
The community
Community is a vital piece of Peachtree Farm’s success. Besides being co-workers, the farmers support each other throughout all aspects of life, on and off the farm.
“It’s a real community of folks that support each other,” said Joe Twiner. “The support that we’ve received from the city and the community more broadly is essential to our work and the broader disability, environmental and food access communities that we’re a part of.”
The Peachtree Farm community provides a unique opportunity for the farmers to work alongside other adults with disabilities, allowing friendships to blossom within the workspace.
One of the many reasons one of the farmers, Joey Newton, loves Peachtree Farm is because he met his close friend John Gross at the farm.
Volunteers also heavily contribute to the community culture which makes up Peachtree Farm. Whether a volunteer works at the farm frequently, or visits a couple of times a year, like local volunteer Robert Fugate, the impact of giving time to be on the farm is powerful.
“My favorite thing is watching the kids really work and appreciate what they’re doing and see a job well done in the end,” said Fugate.
How to help
There are several ways to contribute to the growth and success of Peachtree Farm, according to Joe Twiner.
“The best way is through donations,” said Joe Twiner. “As a 501c3 nonprofit, we rely on public support to run the farm. We aim to be financially sustainable in terms of plants and produce we offer for sale. That offsets a lot of our operations costs, but as we continue to expand, we really need the support of the community.”
Another way to support the farm is through volunteering and showing up at the events Peachtree Farm hosts. Volunteers can support the farm during events like the fall festival, farmer’s markets and plant sales. Corporate volunteering is also a great opportunity to help out on the farm for a day.
In addition, it is possible to sign up to be a weekly volunteer at Peachtree Farm and join the farmers during their workdays. For this kind of service, a one-day training and background check is required.
Learn more about Peachtree Farm at peachtreefarm.org.
Welcoming Week: Reserve your FREE one-time guest pass during the week of September 8 – 17 and enjoy everything the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA has to offer. Welcoming Week provides an opportunity for Peachtree Corners neighbors, whether they are immigrants or U.S.-born residents, to connect and strengthen community bonds. From swim class and water safety to day camps, group workouts and community well-being initiatives, the Rober D. Fowler Family YMCA has something for the whole family.
Guest passes do not include access to outdoor pools or basketball facilities in the gymnasium. Click here for you free guest pass.
Lifelong Learners: Healthy living doesn’t always mean physical activity. Creative thinking, exploring interests, and learning new things are as important as diet and exercise. That is the philosophy behind Lifelong Learners. For ages 50 and up, Lifelong Learners offers seniors the chance to come together and enjoy guest speakers, local field trips and spirited cultural discussions. The group meets every other Friday at 12:15 p.m. in the Senior Center. For more information, email Rob Wilson at robertw@ymcaatlanta.com.
Grief and Loss Support Group: Grief and loss are two of the most difficult emotions to face in life, but you don’t have to face them alone. Every Monday at 11 a.m. in the Senior Meeting Room, the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA provides a safe and caring environment for participants to come together and begin to understand the grief process. For more information, connect with Ellie Garrett at ejgarrett@gmail.com.
Caring for Those Who Care: The YMCA’s weekly Caregivers Group provides a dedicated meeting space for caregivers to offer and receive emotional support. If you are providing care for a loved one, or want to learn more about long term caregiving, this group is for you. The group offers practical information while respecting confidentiality and encouraging camaraderie. Take this opportunity to build relationships with others in similar situations every Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. in the Senior Meeting Room. To learn more, email Mary Crawley at mcrawley@wans.net.
More Senior Activities:
- Canasta: Every Monday at 2 p.m. in the Senior Meeting Room,
- Dominoes: Every Thursday at 10:45 a.m. in the Senior Meeting Room
Call it luck or divine intervention, but some force in the universe was determined that the 10th annual Light Up The Corners event was going to take place as planned. About an hour before start time, the deluge that threatened the area with heavy rains and strong winds on Saturday, Aug. 12, began to subside.
By the planned 8 p.m. start, the sun had peeked through the clouds and fun and festivities were in full swing.
Guests from all across metro Atlanta gathered at The Forum at Peachtree Corners for the four-mile glow run and one kilometer twilight trot benefitting the Fowler Family YMCA. The evening raised over $60,000 for the local community center, according to organizers.
“This event has taken on a life of its own,” said Light Up The Corners race organizer Amy Massey in a press release. “The run is less about competition and more about friends, neighbors and families coming together to participate in a healthy, family-friendly fun way to ‘glow for the good’ of the community.”
Despite the weather threat, this year’s event attracted a record number of participants, sponsors and volunteers with more than 1,400 registered runners and hundreds of spectators cheering along the racecourse. Even if the physical activities weren’t your thing, there were plenty of other attractions to keep one occupied.
The festivities included activities for the whole family, a live DJ, roaming entertainment — one of the dancers was a dead ringer for Katy Perry — face painting, neon manicures, special prizes and awards for the runners. Light bites, beverages and giveaways were provided by The Forum retailers and restaurants, along with local schools, churches and businesses across the Peachtree Corners and metro Atlanta area.
“Light Up The Corners has become a truly beloved tradition not only for The Forum, but the entire Peachtree Corners community. Witnessing thousands of glowing runners is a thrill from start to finish, and we’re honored to support our friends at the YMCA year after year,” said Charlotte Hinton, The Forum marketing manager.
Since its inception, Light Up The Corners has raised more than $400,000 for the Fowler Family YMCA. To learn more, go to lightupthecorners.com.
Photos by George Hunter
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