Ruthie and David Robbins knew they had to do something.

They were returning to their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from a journey to California that was to have seen daughter Amanda (“Mandy”), a young woman with autism, placed in well-known residential home for individuals with developmental disabilities. However, Mandy was still at their side, because what Ruthie and David witnessed at the home was far from the high level of care they had been promised. "Our trust had been broken and our worst fears realized," Ruthie recalls. "Needless to say, we were extremely distraught." Fortunately, in that moment of disillusionment, Ruthie found an inner resolve - and a new, brighter vision for Mandy's future.

Today, years of perseverance later, Mandy's Special Farm stands as a testimony to the love they have for their daughter, the peace they desire for her life, and the future they share with other families challenged by adults with developmental disabilities.

A private nonprofit organization, Mandy's Special Farm was conceived and created to provide adults with developmental disabilities a place they can call home for the rest of their lives. Mandy's Special Farm is a place where they can learn and grow, find purpose and peace, surrounded by the kind of love and care a parent would insist on - because a parent, just like you, has made the commitment to provide it to your loved one.  

"Trusting your child to someone else is probably the most difficult thing you'll ever do," Ruthie realizes. "You have my word, as a mother, that your loved one or family member will receive the same care and love that we expect for Mandy."