Next Step Farms

Our ADS Environmental Services Huntsville office personnel teamed with our visiting IDEX Intelligent Water personnel to once again serve Next Step Farms (NSFs). A total of 24 ADS and IDEX personnel had the privilege to work alongside the NSF’s special needs adult students to prepare and plant their vegetable gardens for the 2024 growing season. A generous $1,000 ADS/IDEX donation was used to purchase over 250 vegetable plants, tomato cages, fertilizers, and materials. Next Step Farms (501c3) operates a non-profit, hands-on program for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults, teaching critical life skills. Their mission is to provide a safe and nurturing place where special needs adult students can learn and participate in a homestead type environment on a real working farm. Trained special education teachers help students learn the job skills they need to live meaningful, fulfilling lives. Collaboration with local businesses and the community enable the placement of our program graduates in real jobs where they are genuinely accepted and productive. The NSF’s staff and students were very excited to work with us and so thankful for the donation and hard work completed to help prepare them for the Summer growing season. Aside from getting some good work done for a great charitable organization, this week's event provided a platform for some fantastic fellowship and team building with our ADS and IDEX family. Let's all continue to look for opportunities to serve others, give back, and strengthen our local communities. Together we are stronger - #ADScommunitystrong! Read the ADS news post: https://lnkd.in/edKKcE2Z #idex #idexdifference #education #community

We're excited to be a Community/Sustainability Partner of Next Step Farms, and we appreciate the important work they do for adults with special needs in our community. Can't wait for the next 2nd Saturday Workday! . . #NextStepFarms #AutismResourceFoundation #hsvarc #TheAutismResourceFoundationIncofNorthAlabama

On Tuesday afternoon this week, 20 ADS personnel had the privilege to work alongside each other to help Next Step Farms (NSFs), a non-profit, hands-on organization with programs that focus on teaching “life skills” to intellectually and developmentally disabled adults. These life skills include cleaning, cooking, organization, gardening, home/auto maintenance, basic finance, computer skills, personal hygiene, etc. Instructing adults on these skills helps them gain some independence and eases the demand on their caregivers. This is an organization supported over the past couple of years by ADS, including a generous donation from The IDEX Foundation. We got our hands dirty (literally) on the farm, organizing their garden area, placing 30 raised bed planter boxes, filling with topsoil, and mixing in soil amendments purchased by ADS. The NSFs staff and students were so pleased and thankful for hard work completed by ADS to help prepare them for the Spring planting season. Aside from getting some good work done for a great charitable organization, this week's event provided a platform for some fantastic fellowship and team-building with our ADS family. Let's all continue to look for opportunities to serve others, give back, and strengthen our local communities. Together we are stronger - #ADScommunitystrong! Read the ADS blog post: https://lnkd.in/envWtyME #idex #idexdifference #education #community

Announcement! 📣 We are thrilled to share with you the 15 organizations and nonprofits that will be participating in our #LeadersonBoard event happening in just a few weeks! Alumni and current class members, don't miss out on this opportunity to learn more about these organizations and how to potentially serve on their boards! Register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/gidVDp2x Nonprofits/Organizations 👇 UAH Regional Autism Network The CARE Center WEDC Foundation Lifeline Pet Rescue of North Alabama Ryker's Rainbow Alzheimer's Association® - Huntsville Chapter Huntsville Inner City Learning Center Heart of the Valley YMCA CAP & GOWN Project Next Step Farms Honoring Veteran Legacies Fostering Connections Above The Barre Dance Experience Madison County , Alabama-Government City of Huntsville, AL - Government