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.
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.
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.
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.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
The Executive Director serves as a leader to the community and a liaison with the Board of Directors.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
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.
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
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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