Empowering Lives
Desert Area Resources and Training provides opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to pursue their dreams and live fulfilling lives.
Get InvolvedOur Mission
Desert Area Resources and Training (DART) provides services and opportunities to individuals with intellectual, developmental, or other special needs, enabling them and their families to achieve their chosen dreams and lifestyles. Our staff is dedicated to addressing the individual needs of each person we serve.
Programs & Services
Adult Programs
We offer Supported Employment, Work Activity Program, and Supported Living Programming to empower adults with developmental disabilities and other special needs. Our programs support independence and community integration.
Community Engagement
DART supports Artists on the Edge, hosts summer day camps for children with Autism, and organizes special events and collaborative community projects to promote inclusion and advocacy for children, adults, and families.
Thrift Store
Our storefront thrift store serves the Ridgecrest community, offering a variety of goods while employing adult staff with developmental disabilities, fostering skill development and community integration.
Shred
We provide confidential shredding and disposal of documents, ensuring secure handling of sensitive information for individuals and businesses in the community.
Dart Boutique Store
Our Dart Boutique Store, located at 220 N Gold Canyon St, offers a vast inventory of great new and open-box items at competitive prices, serving the Ridgecrest community with unique shopping experiences.
Our History
In 1961, twenty parents of children with disabilities founded the Indian Wells Valley Council for Retarded Children, establishing a recreation program for preschoolers with volunteers. They successfully petitioned for a special education class in the valley, addressing the lack of services for children under six or over eleven with developmental disabilities. In 1962, United Way began supporting the organization, a partnership that continues today.
The Sunshine House Activity Training Center for Handicapped Adults opened in 1973, followed by a merger in 1974 to form the Indian Wells Valley Association for Retarded Citizens. Renamed Desert Area Resources and Training in 1991, DART now serves children and adults across Kern, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino counties, with programs like Artists on the Edge and contracts with State and Federal governments.
Connect With Us
Learn more about our programs or explore ways to support our mission. Reach out today.
201 E Ridgecrest Blvd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
(760) 375-9787
Our Storefronts
Shred
200 N Gold Canyon St, Ridgecrest, CA 93555
We provide confidential shredding and disposal of documents, ensuring secure handling of sensitive information for individuals and businesses in the community.
VisitThrift Store
200 N Gold Canyon St, Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Our storefront thrift store serves the Ridgecrest community, offering a variety of goods while employing adult staff with developmental disabilities, fostering skill development and community integration.
Visit