History of Freedom Ranch

The Ranch was founded as a labor of love in 1972. With the backing of members of the local band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a group of men in recovery chartered what was known as the Indian Growth Center, its name when it was recognized by the federal government as a tax-exempt public benefit corporation in 1974. In recent years, the Ranch has grown from 30 acres to nearly 300 acres. This helped us secure the needed land to expand, given the area's agrarian water use rules. The extra acreage has provided additional wells. In return, we have dedicated ourselves to preserving the rural heritage of the site. 

Today 56 men call the Ranch home, served by a professional, certified staff of 13 and assisted by volunteers. And while over time it has grown in size and stature, what remains constant is the commitment to helping those addicted to drugs or alcohol. “Ranchers” recover from the ravages of addiction and move from wards of the state to productive workers, contributing citizens and solid providers for themselves and their families. In our history, we estimate we have helped 8,200 reach the road to recovery.