Island Autism Center at Child Farm: First Phase of Supportive Housing Community is Complete

A dream realized, the completion of the Hub House marks a milestone for Island Autism Group and for UNION.

April 13, 2025

We join our client, Island Autism Group (IAG) in celebrating the completion of the Hub House at the new Island Autism Center at Child Farm in West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard! This milestone marks the culmination of the first phase of an ambitious project that is well on its way to becoming a comprehensive supportive housing community for young adults and adults with autism on the island.

The Hub House serves as the heart of all programming at Island Autism Center providing spaces for community dining, cooking, skills training, specialized areas for job training (including a mock mailroom), program and gathering spaces, quiet areas for sensory needs, office spaces, and living accommodations for visiting professionals.

“The Hub House completion allows for the operation of IAG’s on-site day programs as the construction of the residential buildings continues,” explains Kate DeVane, Executive Director of Island Autism Group. “This project is entirely funded through donations, so Island Autism Center at Child Farm is being built in stages.”

The Hub House is already supporting expanded afterschool programs, while the surrounding farm provides eggs from the chicken runs – and will soon provide vegetables from the fenced-in gardens this summer and fall. The barn and farm stand structures were also completed in this first phase.

Future phases will include two shared four-bedroom houses for residents needing 24/7 support, three two-bedroom cottages for more independent living, and continued development of the agricultural components that support the functioning farm.

The Island Autism Center at Child Farm is designed to address a critical need on Martha’s Vineyard, where approximately 200 year-round residents, including school-aged children and adults, are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The center provides crucial resources that allow island residents with autism to remain in their community rather than seeking services off-island.