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Geranium Sale is a hit in Corrales
People had a variety of flowers to choose from.
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La Entrada was lined with cars of people heading to get their flowers and while an event like this could get chaotic, the sight inside ARCA Organics was a calm one April 27.
As people were looking for their flowers, they stopped to smell the roses, or in this case geraniums and daisies, for a bit to talk to the employees and some of their neighbors.
Director Michele Cody says ARCA is where your perspective gets "realigned."
"At the flower sale, I don't see people viewing people with developmental disabilities as having anything other than the ability to grow the best plants in town," she said.
In a world where there is a kind of fear around the unknown aspects of people with disabilities, Cody says the flower sale is a setting where people are just employee and customer.
The dynamic at ARCA Organics allows people with disabilities to work a fulfilling job at minimum wage or better.
"So ARCA has owned this property for about 40 years. We are the largest provider in New Mexico of lifelong services, both core and value-added services for infants through seniors with intellectual developmental and cognitive disabilities. About seven years ago, we expanded our demographic to include adults with an acquired brain injury," Cody said.
ARCA Organics has about 29 individuals who work there now.
"We have a very robust vocational program at ARCA placing people in jobs in the community. You know, Vitality Works, Dion's Pizza, Smith's, Albertsons, all over the place. We work with about 20 different businesses, but for some folks, a traditional workplace setting is probably not going to be successful," she explained.
Cody added the greenhouse is an opportunity for disabled people to have a meaningful job and a chance to be labeled by their position at work and not whatever disability they have.
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"When you have a disability, that has a tendency to be your label," she said.
However, despite having almost 30 people working there, Cody says they are short staffed and could use more help.
"This is a farm and without constant care things can grow quickly," she said.
They used to grow organic crops and sell them, but staffing shortages have prevented their veggie stand from running.
"We hope to get back to a point where people can come buy their veggies here during the week," Cody said.
Next up for ARCA is its bowl-a-thon June 1 at Tenpins and More.
