Down Home Ranch is a community of opportunity for our residents and their families. But we can't do it alone. There are times when we need answers and resources to help us find our way. This page will help to serve that need.

We plan to include links here to some of the most cutting-edge research in mental retardation, organizations that create new opportunities for people with disabilities and their families, and resources for parents and care givers. Please help us develop this list. If you know of an organization or have some information that should be included here, please contact us and let us know. We want to continue to provide our friends, our families and our residents with every opportunity. Thank you.

Note: External links open in a separate window.

Dr. Jon Pierce-Shimomura, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Texas at Austin

The clock is ticking for our Ranchers with Down syndrome. Right now they are young adults, but all will develop Alzheimer's in their lives if they live past early middle age. Dr. Jon Pierce-Shimomura, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Texas at Austin, is the father of an eight-year-old boy with Down syndrome. Jon is performing cutting-edge research on the functional implications of the extra 21st chromosome that causes Down syndrome. This research will lead to interventions to overcome the limitations of Down syndrome and block the development of Alzheimer's in people with (and without) the condition. Jon's work is fascinating and holds great hope for the future of those we love, but its continuance depends on Jon's ability to secure funding for it. Those of us who love people with Down syndrome owe it to them to help out in any way we can—through direct contributions, securing help from others, and lobbying for more research dollars to go to Down syndrome, which is sadly underfunded relative to other disabilities. Please contact us today and join up with us to support the "Down Syndrome Research Project."