State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, honored the Los Angeles Residential Community Foundation (LARC) Ranch in Santa Clarita on Saturday with his Nonprofit of the Quarter recognition for the first quarter of 2022.
LARC Ranch is a nonprofit residential facility that provides living quarters and amenities, as well as training programs for developmentally disabled adults. According to Wilk, he chose LARC Ranch due to their work and the resources they provide to the special needs community.
“LARC Ranch was founded in 1959 by a group of parents who saw a better life for their developmentally disabled children,” said Wilk in an email. “Today LARC continues that calling with their tireless dedication to helping developmentally disabled adults thrive.”
Now, almost 63 years later, the ranch has expanded into a full-blown community with more than a dozen homes on the property and an additional house on Apple Street in Newhall, according to Chris Bratzel, executive officer at LARC Ranch.
Along with homes, Bratzel said they offer two-day programs at their ranch location and at their other property in Canyon Country called LARC Industries.
“We’re just helping these people live their best life,” Bratzel said. “We’re training them on daily living activities, training them to be independent. We have people that come here and then they move to independent living in their own apartments.”
Bratzel said she appreciates the senator’s recognition for the work that they do for special needs and developmentally disabled people in the Santa Clarita community.
For every quarter, Wilk acknowledges a nonprofit in his district for their service and contributions to the community.
“Nonprofits are critical to our communities, working with passion and purpose to lift up all people,” Wilk said.
After tackling the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bratzel said the recognition was fulfilling because of the effort staff members gave to keep COVID out of their tight-knit community.
“Everyone thought it was awesome,” said Bratzel regarding the reaction from the staff and program members. “We were really excited about it just because everything’s been so different with COVID. So it was exciting for everyone to see the senator here and to know he was here to give us the award.”
