PLENTY Spring 2020 Plenty Spring 2020-WEB | Page 17

The more boots on the ground, the bigger the impact! Corporate volunteer days provide large-scale support for Madison Fields
to take on new projects, like the Community Garden.
for special education and neurotypical students alike.
Students see first-hand how important agriculture is
in our world today; they’re exposed to the care and
maintenance of therapeutic farm animals, the details
of farming crops, the impact of maintaining decidu-
ous areas, and so much more. Through this program,
the farm has developed unique partnerships, support-
ing schools like the Regional Institute for Children
and Adolescents (RICA), hosting groups of students
throughout the year and immersing them in the inclu-
sive environment Madison Fields has to offer.
Thanks to funding support from Montgomery
County, Madison Fields was able to host 600 students
with differing abilities in 2019 alone. As Program Man-
ager, Jessica Simpson, says, “What sets our program
apart from others out there is that we take the time
to consider the needs of the groups coming for an
agricultural education day and then tailor the activities
accordingly.” Experienced staff assist in developing
different means of teaching agricultural appreciation
to groups with differing learning styles and abilities.
“The transformation we see in these students the
minute they get off the bus is remarkable and evident,”
says Steve Robinson, Deputy Director of MHAF. “They
love learning about agriculture and at the same time
become more calm and attentive during field trips
at Madison Fields because of the serene educational
atmosphere.”
Madison Fields also opens its doors for special
events and retreats. Tranquil wooded trails, spectacu-
lar views of Sugarloaf Mountain, and hundreds of acres
of tended farmland are maintained and preserved for
the promotion of mental and physical wellness. Groups
like Clarksburg Yoga and Wellness, Sports Plus, Inc.,
EVRYMAN, and the Boy Scouts of America have been
invited to share the expansive landscape with their
participants. In addition, dozens of military veterans
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
have attended weekend-long therapy retreats on the
farm thanks to special partnerships with national orga-
nizations like the Wounded Warrior Project and Music
Therapy of the Rockies.
Madison Fields cannot provide all of these life-
changing opportunities without generous support and
individual, group, and corporate volunteers. Volunteers
are the cornerstone of all activities on the farm, and
the staff graciously invites all county residents to join
them in making the local community a more inclusive
place for people of all ages and abilities. The Madison
Fields staff believe people grow best when they are
growing together.
Steve Robinson oversees the business operations for the
foundation’s farm, Madison Fields. He also manages grants
and coordinates annual fundraising events at the farm. Steve
takes pride in making the community where he grew up a bet-
ter place to live. Taylor Polito is a PATH International certified
Therapeutic Riding Instructor and a registered USHJA Coach.
She is the acting Volunteer Coordinator and maintains the
health of the herd at Madison Fields.
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