One of the founders of Platte County non-profit The Farmers House recently retired, but that doesn’t mean she’s gone far from the cause that is near and dear to her heart.
Suzanne Zimmerman retired from The Farmers House last month, and is proud of where the program has gone over the past 15 years.
“The Farmer’s House programming and impact over the years has surpassed anything we hoped for with its founding,” Zimmerman said. “The need for programming like ours has and continues to be significant.”
Originally organized by two moms in 2006, Zimmerman and Peach Cunningham, The Farmers House was created to fill a need that the mothers didn’t feel was being met for those with developmental disabilities. Suzanne’s daughter Anna and Peach’s son John David were both born with developmental disabilities.
Like many parents, they shared a common concern about what would happen after their children graduated from high school. While students with developmental disabilities receive structured services and support during their school years, those supports often end at graduation, leaving limited opportunities for meaningful employment and adult programming.
As Anna and John David approached graduation, Zimmerman and Cunningham began researching programs across the country. What they discovered was a significant gap in services that help young adults with developmental disabilities successfully transition into adulthood and the workforce.
Determined to create a better path forward, the two began laying the groundwork for what would become The Farmer’s House. The idea first took root through the creation of a Seeds of Change Garden in Weston in 2010, developed in partnership with the Platte County Board of Services and local individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
The Farmer’s House officially launched in April 2012. Today, the organization operates four programs across six locations, including three retail markets, and positively impacts the lives of hundreds of youth and adults with developmental disabilities each year from Platte, Clay and Jackson counties and beyond.
“We wanted to fill a big gap in services for individuals with developmental disabilities by focusing on job readiness, successful transition from high school to adulthood and employment,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman feels that the program’s growth has been effective and organic. The closing of Vaughn’s Market on Highway 273, gave the organization the opportunity to lease the space and open its first retail market supporting the creation of the Early Work Experience program focused on job readiness training for youth with IDD. More than 300 youth ranging in age from 12 to 21 annually are now gaining job skills across three market locations.
In 2018, the former Wells Bank donated their bank building in downtown Platte City to The Farmers House, paving the way to expand the Community Integration/Day Service programs and providing a home for their administrative functions.
Zimmerman served as full-time unpaid executive director from 2011 through 2021 and oversaw the the day-to-day operation and management of the organization. After the hiring of the organization’s first paid executive director, she transitioned to board president until her retirement.
“Although my role is evolving, I’m not going far,” Zimmerman said. “I’ll continue to stay involved by helping explore the potential to expand into residential services.”
Also, Zimmerman will continue to curate a collection of one-of-a-kind vintage finds sold on the top floor or the downtown Weston Market. Hunting for those hidden treasures has long been a hobby she loves.
“Over the past fifteen years, I have several standout experiences and many wonderful memories from my involvement,” Zimmerman said. “The most meaningful moments are when I encounter a former Early Work Experience student at their job in the community. Such natural encounters are incredibly rewarding and reenforce the impact of our mission. I see the organization continuing long term with an emphasis on program quality and outcomes as well as organization strength and sustainability.”
In the short-term, Zimmerman said The Farmers House will focus on its newest initiatives including the HIRED (Helping Individuals Realize Their Employment Dreams programming) program, 8-week paid internships for individuals with developmental disabilities in the three retail markets and catering operations as well as increasing employment placement services as an authorized Missouri Vocational rehabilitation provider.
“Long term, we hope to be able to address another significant need for individuals with developmental disabilities, housing and independent living option,” she said.
Outside of The Farmer’s House, Zimmerman said she is looking forward to spending more time with family, traveling and putting the “Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” into action by clearing out the vintage treasures tucked away in her basement storage. Likely meaning those finds will appear in the Vintage Market in the months ahead.
Her retirement from The Farmer’s House board also coincides with her husband, Alan Zimmerman, stepping in to become board president as well as the unofficial head maintenance volunteer.