Lindy Wood: Westonwood Ranch Gives Young Adults with Autism a Bridge Over the 'Services Cliff'
About this episode
Lindy Wood discusses her journey in creating Westonwood Ranch to support young adults with autism as they transition into adulthood.
Lindy Wood is the founder of Westonwood Ranch, a 10-acre working farm in the Florida Panhandle. When her son Weston was diagnosed with autism fifteen years ago, she realized a terrifying "services cliff" awaited him—and millions of others—the moment they transitioned into adulthood. Rather than letting her son fall, Lindy built an extraordinary hands-on community where teens and young adults with autism learn life-changing job and life skills. Today, the ranch has grown from serving just four individuals to a full-time program supporting 60 participants. In this episode, we discuss: The "Services Cliff": Why ending high school is a frightening reality for families. Growing the Vision: How Westonwood Ranch expanded to a full-time program serving 60 young adults. The Power of Small Milestones: Why learning to use a microwave became an emotional victory. A Crazy Good Turn: The incredible gift Lindy still has trouble processing. Chapters & Timed Links: [04:12] The Diagnosis: How a 2-year-old's diagnosis sparked a much larger, lifesaver vision. [07:45] The "Services Cliff": Why society stops providing resources just when those with IDD need them most. [12:30] Building Westonwood Ranch…
People in this episode
Guest: Lindy Wood
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Westonwood Ranch
Places: Florida Panhandle
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