• Support Our Work
  • 516-237-4748
Smile FarmsSmile FarmsSmile FarmsSmile Farms
  • ABOUT
    • MISSION
    • OUR STORY
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
      • JIM MCCANN
      • ALEC MCAULEY
      • MICHELLE THOMPSON-DOLBERRY
      • FRANK MARZANO
      • PAUL LIGHTFOOT
      • JAY SCANSAROLI
    • TEAM
      • DIANA MARTIN
      • REBECCA TILLMAN
      • JESSICA HORTON
      • BETH KARCHER
      • ERIKA PICCIANO
    • FINANCIALS
    • ANNUAL REPORT
  • OUR COMMUNITY
    • SMILE FARMS AT HOME
    • MEET OUR FARMERS
    • TEAM SMILE FARMS
      • ADVISORY BOARD
      • AMBASSADORS
      • FRIENDS
  • PARTNERS
    • SMILE FARMS CAMPUSES
      • RIBBON CUTTINGS
        • SMILE FARMS AT CP UNLIMITED 2021
        • SMILE FARMS AT NASSAU BOCES 2021
    • NON-PROFIT PARTNERS
    • CORPORATE PARTNERS
    • GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
  • NEWS & EVENTS
    • IN THE NEWS
    • SPECIAL EVENTS
      • EVENTS CALENDAR
      • PAST EVENTS
        • ANNUAL GALA
        • A NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS
        • GOLF INVITATIONAL
        • GOLF OUTING
        • SUNFLOWER SMILES
      • EVENT SPONSORS
        • GOLF OUTING SPONSORS
        • SPRING BENEFIT SPONSORS
    • SMILE FARMS BLOG
    • VIDEOS
    • COVID-19
  • TAKE ACTION
    • SHOP SMILE FARMS
    • VOLUNTEER
    • MATCHING GIFTS
    • MORE WAYS TO HELP
  • WAYS TO GIVE
    • GIVE NOW
    • MONTHLY GIVING
    • DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS
    • MATCHING GIFTS
  • BUY HOT SAUCE
  • CONTACT US
  • DIANA MARTIN
  • REBECCA TILLMAN
  • ERIKA PICCIANO
DONATE
✕
Join Us For Our most Spectacular Fundraiser Of The Year
March 6, 2019
An Unforgettable Evening!
May 1, 2019

“Not Just Cucumbers”: Smile Farms Business Incubators

April 3, 2019
The pioneering work of Smile Farms in making employment opportunities in agricultural settings
available to adults with developmental and intellectual challenges is vitally important given that almost 80% of this population nationwide is unemployed.
​
As we all know, work helps define a person’s identity, builds self-worth and self-esteem and connects the individual to his or her community.
​
At the League Education and Treatment Center, ten of our day habilitation clients have totally embraced their part time jobs as farmers raising produce in the urban farm we constructed on the site of a dilapidated playground on the grounds of one of our schools. Michael, a Smile Farms at LETC employee, made the following exclamation when interviewed about his job for the Smile Farms newsletter, “It makes me feel good, it makes me feel important and makes me feel like I’m somebody!”

LETC is extremely grateful for the startup support we have received from Smile Farms. Still, we are very aware that in a short period of time we must generate sufficient revenue to pay the wages of our clients ourselves and should not be solely dependent on grants from the Smile Farms organization.

Our business plan for the farm is to specialize in growing “hard to source” hot chili peppers during the summer months, which we will market to local restaurants and at greenmarkets. We will grow micro-greens in our hoop house during the winter months to sell to restaurants and health food stores. These activities also offer our clients experience in marketing and retail sales.

Yet, sale of produce alone will not supply all of the revenue we require. With some entrepreneurial
vision it seems to us that we can increase income by building on our farming activities and spinning off new related ventures.

The most obvious one is to create a hot sauce with our peppers (outsourcing production to a
commercial kitchen) and market the sauce throughout our community. Hot sauce and dried peppers
may also be marketed through the Internet as well as locally.

In addition, growing heirloom organic tomatoes and sweet peppers (combined with chilies) offers an opportunity to create and sell bottled salsa; growing heirloom tomatoes might lead to the production of a boutique tomato sauce product as well.

Most significantly, the Smile Farms model of creating a revenue generating business to employ clients who earn a real wage from the proceeds might suggest utilizing that approach beyond an agricultural setting. LETC’s next venture using this business model may be the production of artisan handmade pasta (a really good opportunity for individuals who like repetitive tasks) with the recommendation to cook and serve the pasta with Smile Farms at LETC tomato sauce.

Mark Handelman
CEO

League Education & Treatment Center

Visit the Smile Farms Take Action page to learn how you can get involved. 


Share

Archives

  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • November 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • March 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Read Our GuideStar Report

Smile Farms Inc. Nonprofit Overview and Reviews on GreatNonprofits
Volunteer. Donate. Review.

SMILE FARMS INC.
Two Jericho Plaza, Suite 200
Jericho, NY 11753
PHONE: 516-237-4748

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
✕

© 2022 Smile Farms Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Website designed by BTW Marketing

DONATE