David Agarwal, MD is an associate professor in the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, who is making a difference in his community through his work with adults with intellectual disabilities.
In a recent interview, Agarwal, also an interventional radiologist at IU Health, shared insights into his work with Watch Us Farm, a Council on Quality Leadership-certified, private local nonprofit organization and Medicaid waiver service provider employing and training adults with intellectual disabilities in community integrated settings based in Zionsville, IN. His wife, Janice Agarwal, PT, cNDT, is co-owner and executive director of the nonprofit.
Agarwal’s son inspires his work
Agarwal is a co-owner and serves on the board of directors as treasurer. His involvement is driven by a personal connection: his son has an intellectual disability.
Agarwal wants to create opportunities to help similar high-functioning adults who, not eligible for other support, often live at home until their parents become older than 80 years old or pass away. Often, these adults are capable of pursuing meaningful job opportunities and transitioning to living in a supportive community-based environment.
Farm’s mission: Everyone can work
Watch Us Farm's mission is to employ and train people with intellectual disabilities, providing them with vocational job training and employment opportunities. The organization operates on the principle that everyone can work and aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities by focusing on employment, job training, and skills development. Eventually, they plan to work on housing for these adults as well.
“We are all trying to do our best to navigate this journey together. So long as we are all asking the question ‘How can we help?’, there are no wrong answers.”
The organization matches individuals' skills to various job opportunities. For those with fine motor skills, there is a weaving shop that utilizes restored wooden looms to create textiles that are sold at farmers markets and art markets. For individuals who prefer working with their hands, there is a 7,000-square-foot, sensory-safe greenhouse that grows organic lettuce and microgreens for sale to local restaurants and farmers markets in Zionsville, Whitestown and Broad Ripple.
Rooted in community
Watch Us Farm is deeply integrated into the community. They partner with other nonprofit organizations and are working to build a better community. Some partnership examples include the Broad Ripple FFA club visiting to help in the greenhouse and Eagle Scout troop 804 joining the farm for a weekend camping trip, earning a badge in nature adventuring. Agarwal believes in the importance of a community coming together to support local initiatives.
Farm plans large new campus
Watch Us Farm has big plans for the future! They have been gifted 25 acres of land in Zionsville by the Henke Development Group to build a new campus that will unify their two sites. This campus will include:
- A larger vocational training facility with an event center for more job opportunities
- Larger greenhouse operations to grow even more nutrient-dense organic produce
- Athletic fields for recreational activities
- Limited on-site housing for program participants
IU Health has provided a $500,000 Community Impact Investment Fund grant to help develop the Vocational Training Hub building on this new property. Watch Us Farm is now poised to make an even greater impact in Boone and Hamilton Counties, empowering even more adults with intellectual disabilities to live fulfilling and independent lives.
