Farmstead of New England: Housing for adults with autism breaks ground in Epping

Farmstead of New England: Housing for adults with autism breaks ground in Epping

EPPING — Farmstead of New England is expanding its footprint, building additional “much needed” housing for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

The nonprofit, which runs a residential farm assisted living facility at Rosewald Farm in Hillsborough, broke ground Thursday, May 9, on its latest project at 38 Plumer Road in Epping.

The project, called Redberry Farm, will be built in four phases comprising eight residential buildings.

“We have a waiting list of over 160 people, so the apartments being built are much needed,” said Deborah DeScenza, executive director of Farmstead of New England. 

Tiffany McCorkle, program coordinator for Farmstead of New England, said they offer a “unique service model” that combines assisted living with independence. Those who live there also participate in farming activities and connect with nature.

“So, they will come out here and they’ll grow vegetables, feed the animals… and then they also get community integration like we’ll take them to the gym, we’ll take them swimming, to the library – things that give them an opportunity to have a full life where in most communities, they don’t have that,” said McCorkle.

Project manager Nesreen Itani, of Dennis Mires PA The Architects, said a great deal of thought went into the design of the residential units. 

Each building is designed with four one-bedroom apartments surrounding a common room and are ADA-compliant and handicap accessible. 

“Part of the challenges of this project is to provide the right space for the type of people who will be using this space,” she said. “… It’s all about functionality. How can we provide a safe environment for the people who are using this facility and their needs.”

DeScenza said it cost about $1 million to build each building and another million just for the infrastructure. 

The total cost for phase 1 of the project, which consists of two buildings, is $3.5 million, which DeScenza said has been raised through fundraising and funds from New Hampshire Housing.

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She said the remaining phases of the project will heavily rely on additional funding and grants.

DeScenza said phase 1 is set to be completed by November. 

How Farmstead of New England was born

DeScenza said she founded Farmstead of New England in 1999 as a way to help care for her son, Andrew. 

“Farmstead of New England began as a dream for my son,” she said. “I wanted him to be in a setting in which both he and his staff would have plenty of access to others for socialization and support. I didn’t want him to be isolated, but I also didn’t want him to be in a setting that was so large it would be impersonal. I want him to have access to outdoor space and to nature. Finally, I wanted him to have the stability of a long-term home.”

DeScenza opened the first care facility in Hillsborough in 2003, which offered 24 units and a few acres of garden space for the animals. 

“What keeps me going is seeing smiles on people’s faces and then suddenly constant emails and phone calls from families saying, ‘Do you have a room for my child?’” she said. “Twenty-five years ago, we gave this company a plural name and a wide geographical reference, very intentional because I had hoped that eventually, we’d have a farmstead in every state in New England.”

Source: https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2024/05/10/housing-adults-autism-epping-nh-farmstead-new-england/73626139007/