S12:E14. 4.5.2025
Special Growers, Maryville Tennessee
In 2010, a few parents of special needs young adults were hit with a question, “What’s next for my child after high school graduation?” Unfortunately, the answer was, “there really isn’t much.”
Special Growers was launched to provide a work opportunity for their children and other adults with special needs. With the support of many community partners and individuals, a safe and inclusive work environment has been developed for their disabled staff to learn job skills, gain confidence, and prepare for their future careers.
Special Growers is a program of Special Opps, Inc, a 501c3 Tennessee Corporation with the mission of “providing job training and employment opportunities to disabled adults in Blount County ''.
Today, Special Growers employs 4o year-round disabled staff, 2 garden managers, and 14 dedicated volunteers. With these talented team members, they work hard to harvest, prep, and deliver fresh herbs and fresh cut flowers to local restaurants in Maryville and Knoxville. You probably have been to many of our restaurants and tasted the bounty of their labor.
*This information was taken from the Special Growers website. https://www.specialgrowers.com/
Amy Campbell with Kent Davis,. Kent is one of the original group of parents who created Special Growers https://www.specialgrowers.com/
Two staff members of Special Growers.
Harrison and Maria of Special Growers. Maria Laughlin is Operations Manager for Special Growers.