Elawa Farm Foundation in Lake Forest has hired eight employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities across three departments.

The hires fulfill the farm's commitment that at least 10% of its workforce would participate in its Workforce Development Program, according to Elawa Farm's website. Employees work in culinary, garden and farm, and facilities roles.

Elawa partners with the Center for Enriched Living (CEL), a Riverwoods-based organization that has served people with developmental disabilities since 1968. CEL's Employment Opportunities Program matches job seekers who have intellectual and developmental disabilities with employers and provides on-the-job coaching, according to CEL's program page.

The partnership began in 2022 as a recreational collaboration. Laura Calvert, executive director of Elawa Farm Foundation, said in a June Chicago Tribune report that the hiring commitment came in 2024 as the farm expanded its campus and needed more staff.

"We want to be a model to other organizations and businesses," Calvert told the Tribune.

Don Miner, a CEL employment specialist, works with Elawa Farm on the program. He told the Tribune he provides weekly job coaching on-site. CEL assesses each candidate's interests and skill levels before matching them with a workplace, then gradually steps back as employees gain independence.

CEL funds its employment services through contracts with the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), including Supported Employment Program and Milestone contracts. A private-pay option is also available, according to CEL's website.

The farm employs about 40 people year-round, with that number reaching 60 to 70 during summer, the Tribune reported. Six of the year-round staff are in the Workforce Development Program.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The 2026 theme, "Celebrating Value and Talent," recognizes the contributions Americans with disabilities bring to workplaces, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Elawa Farm plans to hire more employees through the program. Families can contact CEL's outreach team through its website.