Dutton Farm Inc.

The Arc of Macomb County Executive Director Lisa Lepine is speaking up about the direct care workforce funding gap in Michigan — and she's right. This issue affects every provider, every family, and every person with a disability who depends on quality care.

We're sharing this because the conversation needs to be louder than any one organization.

LEPINE: Michigan made a promise to direct care workers. It’s time to keep it. Michigan has mandated that direct care workers be paid $17.13 per hour as of January 1, 2026, a $13.73 base minimum wage plus a $3.40 passthrough increase.

More news coming out about our new Macomb location. Thank you MLive.com

Dutton Farm expands into Macomb County offering support for adults with disabilities Dutton Farm opened a new Macomb County location on June 15, expanding its mission to provide job training, life‑skills development and community inclusion for more than 180 adults with disabilities across Oakland and Macomb counties.

Monday was a day we will never forget and the photos are here to prove it 💙🎉

We officially celebrated the ribbon cutting of our new Macomb County location, and the outpouring of support from our community made it everything we hoped it would be.

A heartfelt thank you to our distinguished guests who joined us to mark this milestone:

Abrielle Matibag, representing the Executive Office of the Governor
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel
State Senator Senator Kevin Hertel
State Representative Denise Mentzer
Clinton Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem
Traci Smith, CEO of Macomb County Community Mental Health

We are equally grateful for the presence and steadfast support of our Dutton Farm board members:

Tom DeAgostino, Board Chair
State Senator Michael Webber, Board Treasurer
Laura Murphy, Board Secretary
Stacy Ziarko, Jim Lambrecht and Tom Lehrer, Board of Directors

A special thank you to Connect Macomb for hosting the ribbon cutting ceremony — your partnership means the world to us.

Additional thanks to DJ David Blair and Designed Mindfully for creating such a welcoming space for everyone.

And to the families and participants who showed up to celebrate with us: you are the reason we do this work. Seeing you in that space — our new space — was the best moment of the day.

Macomb County, we are so glad to be here. This is just the beginning. 🎀

Congratulations to Jessica on her first day of work at Premier Pet Supply!

Jessica's role is to ensure a great shopping experience for Premier customers by stocking the sales floor, greeting customers, and keeping the place clean and tidy!

She is excited to join the team and to be around animals while she works!

Thank you, Premier Pet Supply, for seeing the same greatness and work ethic we do in Jessica!

Thank you to the incredible team from LightGuide for volunteering at Dutton Farm! Your time, energy, and willingness to lend a hand make a meaningful difference in the lives of the adults we support every day.

We are so grateful for community partners like LightGuide who believe in our mission and help create opportunities for inclusion, growth, and connection. Thank you for spending your day with us and making an impact that will be felt long after your volunteer project was completed. We appreciate you!

Thank you Clinton Township Patch for helping us celebrate our Ribbon Cutting yesterday! You can read more about our new location in their article.

https://patch.com/michigan/clintontwp/detroit-area-nonprofit-known-empowering-adults-disabilities-moves-larger?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Dutton%20Farm%20Inc%2E

We have so many more official 'thank yous' to share in the coming days. But, for today, the entire Dutton Farm team is reveling in the Ribbon Cutting of our new Clinton Township location. More than 100 people gathered to celebrate this moment as we step into our new chapter in Macomb County!

🎉 Employee of the Month: June 🎉

Please join us in celebrating Audrey Laport, Dutton Farm's June Employee of the Month!

Since joining our team on January 5, 2026, Audrey has become an incredible advocate for the individuals we support and a wonderful representative of Dutton Farm throughout our community.

As our Job Developer, Audrey works directly with participants to help turn their employment goals into reality. She guides job seekers through the discovery process, gets to know their strengths, interests, and dreams, and helps identify meaningful employment opportunities that align with their goals. From interviewing new participants and coordinating apprenticeships to supporting first days on the job and assisting with onboarding, Audrey is there every step of the way.

What makes Audrey truly exceptional is her unwavering commitment to each participant's success. Whether she's connecting with local employers, completing hiring paperwork, filling in wherever support is needed, or simply encouraging someone through a challenge, Audrey goes above and beyond to ensure every individual has the opportunity to pursue their dream job.

Her passion, dedication, and belief in the abilities of those we support have already made a lasting impact in just a few short months. We are grateful to have Audrey on our team and proud to recognize her contributions.
👏 Congratulations, Audrey, and thank you for making a difference every day