by Katie Miyakado, Executive Director
For more than 40 years, L’Arche Farm & Gardens has been woven into the identity of L’Arche Tahoma Hope. It has been a place of meaningful work, hospitality, learning, and belonging—a place where people of all abilities come together to cultivate relationships with one another and with the earth.
Like every living community, we have experienced many seasons over the past 50 years. We have celebrated growth, adapted to change, and grieved the passing of chapters that were meaningful to us. Through it all, the Farm has continued to evolve, responding to the changing needs of our community and the world around us.
As we look toward 2027, the Board of Directors and I want to share why the Farm is entering another season of change.
The Farm began in 1985 when community members recognized a need for meaningful work opportunities for core members. Over the years, animals, gardens, recycling, and formal work programs became part of daily life. When we first began the Group Supported Employment contract, Pierce County allowed many core members to work on the Farm for six hours a day, five days a week during much of the year.
Since then, much has changed.
- Employment laws now require all workers to earn minimum wage.
- Volunteer and employment regulations have become more restrictive, making it difficult for people to both work and volunteer in similar roles.
- Following the pandemic, volunteer participation declined, including international volunteers and school groups that once played an important role in Farm life.
- Grant funding has become less predictable, agricultural funding has shifted toward larger farming operations, and the Group Supported Employment model has gradually become outdated.
- Today, new core members are no longer eligible for that County contract, and current funding supports far fewer work hours than in the past.
Simply put, what we were responding to twenty years ago is not what we are responding to today.
Rather than allowing these changes to control the future of the Farm, we have chosen to reimagine how it can be sustainable and best serve our mission for years to come.
Beginning in January 2027, the Farm will transition from an employment-focused model to a Community Engagement model. Not to be confused with the Community Engagement Program that Pierce County runs, our model focuses on finding ways to engage our community more frequently. Core member employment on the Farm will continue only through the 2026 growing season. Employment positions for core members will conclude at the end of December 2026. While this marks the end of one chapter, it creates space for new opportunities centered on volunteerism, classes, socials, partnerships and immersion groups.
The Farm is staying. Its purpose is expanding.
Our growing team will include a new Lead Grower, Growing Specialist Dave Jacobs, and Jesuit Volunteer Angelica Fogarty. Together, they will oversee growing plans, land stewardship, volunteer coordination, educational programming, and partnerships that share produce and plants throughout our community. The work created on the Farm will be intentionally designed to be accessible, repeatable, and welcoming for people of all abilities, supporting meaningful participation rather than traditional employment alone.
Looking ahead, you’ll see even more opportunities to experience the Farm through activities, community events, volunteer days, immersion groups, and educational programming. We will continue exploring new possibilities while remaining rooted in our mission.
These changes also reflect our vision for the future. Our strategic priorities come from the work of the Farm Visioning Committee: service to people with intellectual disabilities, stewardship and sustainability, and community engagement. These priorities also align closely with our 2026–2031 Community Mandate of Growing Connections, A Sustainable Community, and Strong Communications.
Perhaps most importantly, these changes invite the entire L’Arche Tahoma Hope community to share ownership of the Farm. Rather than belonging to one program or a small group of employees, the Farm can increasingly become something the whole community helps cultivate, celebrate, and sustain together.
While the way we care for the Farm is changing, our commitment to it is not.
L’Arche Farm & Gardens will continue to be the “front porch” of our community—a place where relationships are nurtured, people are welcomed, and our mission comes to life. By adapting today, we are creating room for new ideas, new partnerships, and new ways for people of all abilities to experience belonging.
We’ll also set aside time for questions and additional context for those who want more information. (If you’ve already had a chance to speak directly with staff, please don’t attend this session so it’s available for those who haven’t.) Board Member Jeff Upton and I will be at the Welcome Center Gathering Hall on Thursday, August 13th at 5:30pm to provide more context and conversation.
Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and belief in this shared vision. Together, we are ensuring that the Farm remains a vibrant part of L’Arche Tahoma Hope for generations to come.
