Our Mission
To promote the inclusion and acceptance of autistic individuals in their local communities by establishing environmentally exemplary farm centers that provide meaningful work, healthy and peaceful living, and community interaction.
Exemplary Farm Centers
OASIS tlc has created a model that involves local and state governments in the purchasing or leasing of property for farming. This simultaneously supports town open space initiatives and offers a source of natural, wholesome food for the local community to purchase. Additionally, farm centers provide housing, employment, and volunteer opportunities.
Meaningful Work
People with autism are naturally in tune with the rhythm of nature and the seasons. Farming and agriculture are connected to the calendar as well. People with autism are concrete thinkers and farm work provides almost immediate, tangible results. Partnering with neurotypical coworkers provides natural opportunities for therapeutic interventions.
Farm Life
People with autism are over-stimulated by the pace of society today. They also have special health needs. Farms and open space offer peace and stimulation from natural sources that are real and therapeutic for everyone involved. Using sustainable and environmentally responsible practices is healthy for everyone in every way.
Community Interaction
This idea provides a vehicle for volunteerism and education for the community as a whole. Farm centers are set up as examples of "green" living which are open to the public to observe. The establishment of local community-supported agriculture systems (CSAs) is something that anyone in the community can choose to participate in.
Our Philosophy
The philosophy behind OASIS tlc is one that embraces human beings for their interconnectedness to each other and all living things. We believe that it is through work, personal exploration and our relationships with others, and nature, that we realize our full human potential. Given the challenges of autism, we see the local farm setting as an ideal place to achieve interdependence and social connectedness.
The concept of meaningful work is paramount to personal fulfillment. We all need to feel needed, and we all need help at times. Individuals with autism are no different. They have the same human needs. They do not want to feel constantly dependent on others; nor do they want to feel useless. Therefore, it is important that our farm center be perceived as a service provider in two ways. One, the center will provide the service of continuing education and meaningful day programming for people with autism. Two, the individuals with autism and their co-workers will provide the community with healthy food and visible examples of sustainable farming and “green living.”
We hope to inspire others to open centers like ours nationwide. Not only do they serve people with autism, but they provide a service to their local community. Most importantly, OASIS tlc hopes to provide encounters between people that foster positive human growth through nature and the acceptance of human differences and the realization of the common ground we all share.
The History of Oasis tlc
An enduring, evolving story…
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Impact OASIS, now OASIS tlc, began as a sister organization to I.M.P.A.C.T.. IMPACT was formed as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in 2000 to help raise funds for the public school system in developing appropriate educational programs for the growing autistic population. In addition to providing financial support, IMPACT members worked tirelessly to raise awareness and educate the public about autism and how it affects children. IMPACT officers took active roles at school board meetings and served on numerous committees, helping encourage acceptance of the challenge of educating children with autism.
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As their children approached adulthood and the end of educational entitlement, a new dream emerged: to create farmstead communities where autistic adults could live and work. This vision led to the creation of OASIS tlc (Ongoing Autistic Success in Society), a 501(c)(3) public charity incorporated in September 2007.
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Working closely with local government, county agencies, and the State of New Jersey, OASIS tlc secured funding to purchase its first farm. The organization also leased seven acres of farmland and launched a horticultural program involving young volunteers, community members, and autistic individuals.
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Members of the Middletown Township Committee, the Mayor, Monmouth Conservation Foundation, NJDEP Green Acres, and NY/NJ Baykeeper have been incredibly supportive throughout this endeavor. With the success of the organization’s first capital campaign, OASIS tlc closed on its first farm in 2011. The facility is surrounded by land preserved by the state, county, and Middletown Township for public use, with OASIS tlc centrally located within it. It is here that the first step of the farmstead model was established and where transitional programming for young autistic adults continues today.
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As parents of autistic individuals, we believe the peaceful farm setting and closeness to nature provide a rewarding and therapeutic work environment. We also believe strongly in the importance of environmental stewardship and hope our children and their peers will help teach others about conservation, good nutrition, humane animal care, and the value of meaningful outdoor work.
