Westonwood Ranch is making a difference in the lives of people with special needs

By Wendy O. Dixon

Lindy Wood discovered that her son, Weston, needed extensive care for his autism when he was diagnosed at age two with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She and her husband, Jason Wood, founded Westonwood Ranch to help others with similar needs. Located in Freeport, the ranch provides therapeutic programs designed to fill the transition gap from high school into adulthood for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disorders (IDD) by incorporating functional learning opportunities in a therapeutic farm environment.

The ranch offers participants the freedom to find their talent and skills. As their abilities vary from person to person, so do the lessons provided to each individual. The opportunities to increase their level of independence include social and communication skills, daily living skills and several others. Some work with the animals, taking care of their daily needs. Some work in the greenhouse, where they grow butter lettuce and other greens. The workers provide these locally sourced products to the community, partnering with local restaurants (Cuvee 30A, FOOW, Sweet Southern Comfort, Cafe Thirty-A, PB&J Café and, most recently, Chiringo) to bring farm-to-table aquaponic lettuce to local menus. In addition, they have partnered with Coastal Blue Nursery to grow retail/wholesale native-to-Florida plants.  

The goal of the program is for the participants to increase independence, gain self-confidence, obtain gainful employment and transition successfully into adulthood. Future plans include an expansion project that offers affordable housing options.

All people deserve opportunities to exercise independence, Lindy says. “This is just one additional way that Westonwood Ranch wants to come alongside families and individuals in need that face challenges related to their disability.” 

Support the Ranch:  

Chiringo owner Andrew McKoski and his wife April have made it their mission to support community initiatives that improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and neurodiversity traits.

Enjoy a signature salad while supporting Westonwood Ranch. Chiringo in Grayton Beach recently started supporting the ranch’s lettuce social enterprise and added a signature salad on the menu, the Westonwood Ranch Cobb. Westonwood receives a portion of those proceeds.  

Learn more about Westonwood Ranch on their website, https://www.westonwood.org/