The Russell’s became interested in the homeless, and decided to develop a new community for the homeless on eight
hundred acres of their farm. That was an amazing move back in the mid 80s. This community was designed as the first
step in helping the homeless change their beliefs about life, just like the plane crash was the first step that changed the
Russell’s beliefs about the nature of their lives.
They named the community “Perception Farms.” It would not just house and feed the homeless, it was an environment where the homeless could house and feed themselves and experience the challenges of life with people who understood what it means to lose everything and start over again. Perception Farms was established to create a home for the homeless as well as to demonstrate that the homeless were just like everyone else. The concept was not accepted by the community at first. Homelessness and the reasons for losing everything are often misunderstood. People who have lost everything are feared because they expose a message to others that this situation could happen to them or anyone they know. And if the destitute are visible to society, the threat becomes more apparent. Warren understood those fears and made sure he invited the locals to the farm so they could interact with their new neighbors face to face. He developed free group lunch and dinner sessions where the reasons for homelessness were discussed and often debated. The residents prepared the meals and spoke at the meetings as well as listened to the concerns of their new friends. Some neighbors came to the farm to watch the residents work and experience life in a community that offered them understanding, education, and the ingredients to start over without judgment or controlling conformity. It didn’t take long for the locals to realize that the farm was the start of a humanitarian project fueled by acceptance, appreciation, and the desire to expand everyone’s beliefs about the nature of homelessness.