The flower beds at Levis Square and Promenade Park have been looking their best this summer thanks to a unique partnership between the city of Toledo and Bittersweet Farms, an organization that supports individuals with autism.

Each week, a team of workers — including Matt and Rodney — has been hard at work, pulling weeds, tending to the gardens, and taking pride in their contributions to the community while also earning a paycheck.

“We are getting out in the community, helping people get paid employment and practice their community participation skills, like socialization, communication, functional, and basic community participation skills,” said Melanie Sears, employment program manager at Bittersweet Farms in Swanton Township.

“We’ve been coming down here every Monday and Friday,” sh

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