Innisfree Village logo with a stylized tree and community name.

Innisfree Village

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Social
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1971

What we do

A Life-Sharing Community

Set in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Crozet, Virginia, Innisfree Village was founded in 1971 as a creative alternative for adults with intellectual disabilities. More than a program or service, Innisfree is a life-sharing community where adults with disabilities, known as coworkers, and residential volunteers live and work side by side on our 550-acre farm.

A Community Built on Contribution

Life at Innisfree is rooted in the belief that everyone has something meaningful to contribute. Our days are shaped by shared work, shared meals, and shared responsibility, creating a therapeutic environment grounded in empowerment, interdependence, and mutual respect. Today, around eighty people call Innisfree home. About forty are adults with intellectual disabilities, and the rest are residential volunteers and long-term staff who live and work alongside them. About ten additional coworkers join the rhythm of the village through our day program.

A Heart of Meaningful Service

Residential volunteers are a vital part of life-sharing at Innisfree. Volunteers live alongside coworkers in the village homes, fully participating in the daily rhythms of household and community life. They provide personal care, guidance, and emotional support, while also sharing meals, celebrations, and quiet moments together. This immersive life-sharing approach allows volunteers to experience the depth of community life—the joys, challenges, and meaningful connections that come from living, working, and growing alongside others. With a two-to-one ratio of coworkers to volunteer caregivers, life at Innisfree feels personal, connected, and truly shared.

Meaningful Work, Shared Purpose

Each day, volunteers and coworkers participate together in our therapeutic workstations–the bakery, community kitchen, farm, herb and vegetable gardens, weavery, woodshop, and art studio. These shared tasks give shape and meaning to the day. Coworkers build skills, confidence, and creative expression, while volunteers offer guidance and often discover new practical and creative abilities of their own.

The Rhythm of Community

Community life extends beyond the workday, too. Shared meals, house meetings, celebrations, and seasonal gatherings weave the village together. Many daily decisions are made by consensus, reflecting our commitment to shared responsibility, while broader organizational decisions rest with our leadership and board. Innisfree is a registered nonprofit, guided by an executive director and assistant directors, and dedicated to supporting a life rooted in respect, empowerment, and creativity for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Join Us

If this way of life resonates with you, we invite you to reach out and learn more about becoming a residential volunteer at Innisfree Village.

Our Mission

Innisfree Village, a voluntary community with adults with intellectual disabilities, is dedicated to providing a lifesharing home and work environment in an atmosphere of beauty, warmth, and respectfulness. All community members are valued, and all are encouraged to explore and contribute to a meaningful and challenging life.

  • Purpose
  • Social
  • Activities
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1971
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1971
  • Started living together
  • 80 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
80

How to join

Innisfree residents (coworkers) with intellectual disabilities are considered permanent community members, each with an initial 6 month trial period and tuition paid monthly by their families and/or guardians. There is an extensive application and admission process.
Residential Volunteers are community members who come to serve for at least one year. Each volunteer must complete an online application with 3 references, participate in a phone or video interview, and be approved through the volunteer application process. It is strongly recommended that applicants visit Innisfree, but they are not required to remain eligible. If a volunteer application is approved, they will be notified and officially invited to the community. Upon invitation, it is the volunteer’s option to accept. After acceptance, an incoming volunteer makes preparations for their arrival. A one-month trial period for training and orientation is required for each volunteer.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Visitors can call ahead to arrange a tour, preferably Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday from 10-3 p.m.
For volunteers: There is an application process with a three-day visit that is strongly recommended. If circumstances do not permit a visit, this does not exclude an applicant from being eligible for community membership.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Decision-making process

  • Leadership Decides

A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).

Conflict resolution approach

The Executive Director serves as a leader to the community and a liaison with the Board of Directors.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Labor: Yes
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Volunteers receive a monthly stipend for personal expenses. In their first year of service, volunteers are eligible for student loan deferrals. Volunteers do not pay a membership fee.
Coworkers (residents) must be able to provide monthly tuition and a lump sum to a capital-building fund.

Vehicle accessibility

  • There are one or more community vehicles

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Dietary type

  • Kosher Only

Dietary restriction

  • People can cook and eat what they want in their own residence

Community activities and engagement

  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics
  • Land area size
    553 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Virginia, United States

Innisfree Village

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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