“Innisfree is a great place for everyone to be who they are. It gives you a lot of skills for the rest of your life. I learned a lot about woodworking, gardening, baking, and how to run a household.”
“There are so many interesting personalities, and you can’t really stay in one frame of mind because people will draw you out with their needs and desires- whether it’s because of their anxieties or because of their contagious happiness. You are always being brought outside of your own head- which is probably what’s most therapeutic about this place.”
“Being a volunteer means being part of the life-SHARING community of Innisfree. As volunteers, we guide our coworkers through daily life but also big life events, we become friends, counselors, members of a family. We do not only embrace the coworkers with their interests, likes and dislikes, and peculiarities, but we also share all of our oddities, interests, etc. with them. Of course, this is not limited to our own house but extends to the entire community.”
“I think I’ve become much more understanding of disability in general, and a lot less fearful and self-doubting. I think I’ve learned to make decisions more carefully and to give myself more time…I’ve learned that I can do hard things even when they seem overwhelming. And that asking for help is as simple as asking for it. It’s okay to be wrong, and make mistakes, and grow slowly. The best thing to do to learn about others is to spend time with them and open yourself up to being vulnerable.”
“We are a community that dedicates our hearts and time to creating not just a place of work, but a HOME for those living with intellectual disabilities. I would say that we desire greatly to throw away society’s expectation that everyone needs to fit into a box in order to be successful. At Innisfree, we strive to make everyone feel heard and loved while supporting each individual person’s strengths and weaknesses.”
“I have grown in more ways than I can imagine. I cherish my time spent here. I am a kinder, more compassionate, and patient person. And have more confidence.”
