Serenity Farms, Inc.: Cultivating Hope, Healing and Community
By Kevin Brown
Prominently featured on Serenity Farms’ website, the words “Cultivating Hope, Healing and Community” are the core of what Serenity Farms, a nonprofit organization, does for veterans, seniors, the unhoused and those in addiction recovery. While their name conjures an idyllic, country setting, Serenity Farms is actually located in The Landmark Building at 75 East Maiden Street in downtown Washington, PA.
Launched in 2014, Serenity Farms is the legacy of well-known Washington residents and philanthropists Andrew G. and Juliana J. Uram. According to Serenity Farms Executive Director Matt Uram, “My father believed that true success comes from giving back—a value he lived every day, from helping secure land for the Boy Scouts’ Heritage Reservation to supporting the Symphony, Citizens Library, and United Way. His example taught me that one person’s commitment can uplift an entire community. It is this spirit of compassion and service that became the foundation of Serenity Farms. Our mission today is to carry forward this legacy of Service Above Self by empowering recovery, expanding opportunities, and uplifting individuals and families across Washington County and beyond. Since July 2025, we have over 600 people come through our doors every week,” he said.
Serenity Farms gives a nod to local history by incorporating the Greyhound bus in their logo. The Greyhound bus station was located in The Landmark Building which today is owned by the Uram family.
Toni Fitch, assistant project coordinator with Serenity Farms, described their services. “We offer wrap-around services to veterans, seniors and persons in recovery. We are dedicated to promoting the well-being and independence of our consumers through our unique housing initiatives and comprehensive human services,” she said.
In the offices, rooms and spaces of The Landmark Building, Serenity Farms connects veterans, seniors, the unhoused, and those in recovery with educational programs, support groups, exercise programs and more to help them. Perhaps most well-known is Room 204 which offers a home to groups that offer valuable resources through meetings, seminars and gatherings. The room is booked nearly every day with groups offering education and services to Serenity Farms’ constituents.
Toni described the types of classes and programs offered in The Landmark Building. “We opened a new meeting room for Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous whose members are in recovery. We also opened a meeting room to Legacy Church. They have their Sunday services there,” she said.
“We are also in the process of providing Oculus and VR training for our consumers for job training services. In conjunction with Catholic Charities, we are currently wrapping up a session in free job training for fiber optics and telecommunications. It's a six-week course and, halfway through the course, students will be given a laptop computer. It offers various certifications for fiber optics and telecommunications and, once the course is completed, Catholic Charities also provides job placement and resume-building,” Toni explained.
It doesn’t end there. There are more classes offered through Serenity Farms in The Landmark Building.
“We also offer a yoga class from 5 to 6:15 pm on Wednesdays provided by an instructor who herself is in active recovery. She shares throughout the course of the class how yoga has helped her, and how her experience has helped her in her recovery journey. Classes are free to anyone in recovery but it’s $15 a class if you are not in active recovery,” Toni noted.
Housing is also a primary service of Serenity Farms. “We recently opened a facility called Sequoia House, which is a licensed, men's three-quarter house,” Toni said. “Located at 40 Rural Avenue in Washington, we have eight beds there for gentlemen in recovery. Our Executive Director, Matt Uram, is breaking ground for a complex that will be called Hillcrest Flats located off Hancock Street in Washington. It features 30, one-bedroom units that will be affordable housing for veterans and seniors with ten of those units specifically reserved for our veterans,” she said.
A free resource available to everyone via email is the “SF Journal,” by which Serenity Farms offers thoughtful articles on self care, mental health, recovery awareness, stigma reduction, and local events in Washington. According to their website, subscribers receive “stories and resources centered on seniors, veterans, the unhoused, and recovery; updates on programs that restore dignity and independence; and ways to engage and create lasting impact in Washington County.” Anyone with an email address can subscribe by visiting www.serenityfarmsinc.org and clicking on “Blog.”
Toni described several new projects to be offered through Serenity Farms including a podcast that will not only focus on recovery, but will feature some of their clients as guests. “We're also in the process of starting a business called City Tee Shirt Co. that will promote recovery with slogans and artwork on the tee shirts,” she said.
Washington residents will recognize The Hope Platoon, a Serenity Farms project that features banners honoring local veterans displayed throughout the city. According to their website, the project honors the brave men and women who have served our nation with beautiful banners that line the streets of Washington.
As a non-profit, Serenity Farms depends on generous donations to support its services. You can help support the good work that it does by visiting their website at www.serenityfarmsinc.org and clicking on “Contact Us.” Scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find an online donation link.
If you believe you or a family member or friend could benefit from services offered through Serenity Farms, you can call them at (724) 228-1206, or email info@serenityfarmsinc.org, or visit their office in The Landmark Building at 75 East Maiden Street in Washington. They are open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm.