Some partnerships are measured in years. This one is measured in first catches, cannonballs, and stories that keep getting retold.
For nearly three decades, Kenmar Residential Services and Down Home Ranch have shared a simple belief: individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve opportunities to connect with nature, with others, and with themselves.
Founded in 1986, Kenmar Residential Services began with a clear purpose: to help people live full, independent lives in supportive community settings. Their guiding principles, “Enabling Exceptional Lives for Extraordinary People” and “Promoting Independence through Community Living,” continue to shape their work today. What started with just two homes in Texas has grown into an organization that now supports individuals across the state through residential and community based services.
That purpose feels right at home at Down Home Ranch.
Since 1996, Kenmar has been sending campers to Ranch Camp. What started as a partnership has become a tradition. Many campers return year after year, stepping back onto the Ranch like it is a place they already belong. For some, it is the highlight of their year. For others, it is simply part of who they are.
Ask Kenmar staff what campers talk about most when they return home, and the answers are beautifully simple.
Catching their first fish
Jumping into the pool on a hot Texas afternoon
Moments like these may seem small, but they carry weight. They are often the first time someone tries something new and realizes, “I can do this.” And that feeling does not stay at camp, it follows them home.
Out here, confidence does not come from big milestones. It builds in quiet ways, on the dock, in the water, in laughter shared with friends. It grows through choice, through trying, through being part of something real.
That is what this partnership has created over the years. Not just a place to visit, but a place to return to. A place where relationships deepen, where confidence builds, and where people are known.
We are grateful for Kenmar Residential Services and the many years of shared commitment to creating these opportunities. Partnerships like this remind us that meaningful lives are built side by side. And when they are, the impact reaches far beyond a single week at camp.
And somewhere on the dock right now, another first fish is waiting to be caught.
To learn more about Kenmar Residential Services and how their residential programs support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, contact Bernadette Richardson at 512-658-5959.
Cen-Tex ARC, Forgotten Angles, Avid Community Servcies Texas, Draco Services are all part of the Kenmar family of providers.
