There are moments in life that shake you, some in grief, some in awe. This is one of the awe-filled ones. But it came from a place of desperation.

From the time Jacob was very young, we’ve had to fight for his safety in ways most people never have to think about. Jacob has level 3 autism. He’s minimally verbal, has a severe speech disorder, and experiences anxiety and sensory overwhelm that can take over his entire body. But the scariest thing has always been his tendency to elope: his urge to bolt from safety without warning, with no understanding of danger. Parking lots. Crowded streets. Soccer fields. There have been so many close calls.

That fear led us to Autism Service Dogs of America (now closed), where we applied for a service dog and were accepted but we had to raise $13,500. So my daughter and her cousin made a sweet Taylor Swift parody music video, hoping to spark a few donations like they’d done for other causes. What happened next changed our lives.

Taylor Swift saw the video. And then she and her mom, Andrea, donated $10,000 to complete our fundraiser!

I can’t pretend to know Taylor or her family. That kind of assumption always feels weird and invasive. But the donation came from both of them, and to me, that says something powerful. I can’t help but believe Andrea played a role. And I see in her the kind of qualities I admire and hope to live out myself as a mother: fierce love, determination, and an unwavering commitment to showing up for my children in whatever way I can.

I want to be that mom, for all my kids. And that’s why I’m building this farm.

After a long wait, Jacob’s service dog, Reid, finally came home and from the moment he arrived, everything shifted. Walking in public became safer. With Reid by his side, tethered and trained to halt when needed, Jacob was no longer at constant risk of bolting into danger. That alone brought a level of peace we hadn’t felt in years.

This experience, Jacob’s story, the kindness of strangers, the example of a strong mother’s love, reminded me that even in the darkest moments, hope is never off the table. That’s the heartbeat behind Harvesting Hope Acres.

We created the farm with one bold idea: that even those with the most profound disabilities, the ones who need one-on-one support every hour of every day, deserve a life filled with joy, purpose, and dignity. People like Jacob and those with higher needs often get overlooked, underestimated, and pushed aside. But not here. This farm is for them. For the moms who stay up all night trying to figure out what’s next. For the dads holding back tears in IEP meetings. For the siblings who quietly carry so much weight. For the kids and adults who just need one person to believe in them.

Taylor’s gift didn’t just help us reach a fundraising goal. It shifted something in me. It reminded me that even when life feels heavy and unseen, God can still make a way. That even for families like ours, the impossible can become possible. It gave me the courage to keep going, to keep building a life that honors my son’s needs, and to keep trusting that faith, no matter how small, can still move mountains. So here we are, building a farm on that spark, that foundation of fierce love.

Jacob’s story isn’t just about one boy and his dog. It’s about what can happen when someone sees value in a life that so many overlook. It’s about believing in potential where others see limits.

That belief is what drives everything we’re doing at Harvesting Hope Acres.

We’re creating a place where individuals like Jacob are seen for their strengths, not their limitations. Jacob has so much to offer, and I know the same is true for others. At Harvesting Hope Acres, we will celebrate their creativity, their resilience, their joy, and their ability to contribute in meaningful ways. This farm will be a space where they can thrive, where their gifts are recognized, and where the community can see just how valuable and capable they truly are. Because when we invest in the most vulnerable among us, we create a world that is more compassionate, more inclusive, and more whole.

And that’s a world worth building.

And I just want to say: thank you, Taylor. Thank you, Andrea. Your generosity became part of a much bigger story. And we’re just getting started.

With a spark lit by Taylor Swift,
Allison Hill
Founder, Harvesting Hope Acres Inc.
Harvesting Hope. Growing Possibilities.