Thursday, October 1, 2026
Members of the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center’s Program Without Walls day habilitation program spent February learning job and life skills while volunteering at Heritage Farms & Gardens, in East Norwich, where they help care for plants, organize greenhouse displays and maintain the grounds.
The Program Without Walls, part of the JCC’s Irene and Ronald Cohen Life Skills Training Center, serves neurodivergent adults ages 21 and older. The partnership with Heritage Farms is one of several connect adults in the JCC’s Center for Neurodiversity with work opportunities in the community, Heather Schultz, director of the Cohen Center, explained. Program participants practice teamwork and communication and learn to be independent while contributing to the farm’s daily operations.
The Program Without Walls has been operating for about seven years, and is designed to help participants develop skills through real-world experiences.
“Our center is known to have programs for those that are neurodiverse for close to 30 years,” Schultz said. “We wanted to make sure that we had meaningful programs to help adult clients be able to grow in different areas and increase their independence.”
Program participants volunteer at organizations on the JCC campus, in East Hills, and at businesses throughout the surrounding area. They work at the JCC’s food bank and its Early Childhood Center, and at special events, and also take part in outings on which they practice everyday skills like shopping and managing money.
The partnership with Heritage Farms is one of the program’s longest collaborations.
“They were one of our first community partners,” Schultz said. “So it’s probably been about six years or so.”
In addition to caring for plants in the greenhouse, volunteers organize displays for customers.
For Evan Golden, who has taken part in the program for two years, the experience has been both exciting and rewarding.
“So when I first heard the news about going to Heritage Farms, I was excited, because it was my first time actually working hands-on with farm equipment,” Golden said, “and I got to know what it’s like volunteering on the farm, and I also got to make new friends on the job and communicate well with the Heritage staff and JCC staff who helped me overcome my challenges along the way. I also got to interact hands-on and work with nature, which I enjoy, because I like interacting with and working with the outdoors, basically.”
Nicholas Sandoz said the chance to spend time with friends and staff while helping at the farm made the experience appealing.
“So when I heard of Heritage Farms, I thought to me, it sounded interesting that maybe I’ll go also to be with my friends and obviously staff,” Sandoz said, “and I thought it was a great experience being there, always helping my friends when they need help.”
Matthew Beit said that cleaning is his favorite part of the work, while Sandoz said he enjoys the organizational side.
“I like to keep things nice and neat, not so messy,” Sandoz said, “… and put the plants, like, where they need to go in order.”
Goldman added that cleaning and organizing the greenhouse also helps create a welcoming environment.
Schultz and other program leaders said that the experience also helps participants build social and communication skills. They work together in teams, and interact with customers and staff. The program also includes classroom-style lessons on skills such as phone etiquette and conversation.
“I think that [Programs Without Walls] has made me more confident as an individual,” Golden said, “because during the life skills part of the program … you get to learn about things that I might need help [with], like improving my social skills and … being more capable as an individual. I think the PW has inspired me to be better and improve and grow as a person — to be better.”
Candy Dubner, co-owner of Heritage Farms, said she has enjoyed hosting the program participants for many years. The farm sells products ranging from flowers and plants to baked and home goods.
Dubner, as it happens, worked for decades in speech pathology for Nassau BOCES, and she said she was happy to help create opportunities for adults with developmental differences. At the farm, she said, “We ask them, if you have a choice, what you would like to work on, not what you wouldn’t like to work with. And they all get along beautifully.”
The program, she said, benefits both the participants and the farm. For Dubner, the experience is deeply rewarding. “I get as much pleasure as I hope they do,” she said. “I really love it.”
For more information on the JCC and Heritage Farms, visit their websites, SJJCC.org and HeritageFarmAndGarden.com.
