FREED Center for Independent Living was founded in 1985 as The Foundation of Resources for Equality and Employment for the Disabled (FREED). We were formed through the efforts of people with disabilities in Nevada County and the Nevada County Committee on the Disabled. This was a natural outgrowth of the Independent Living Movement started in the 1970’s by Ed Roberts to advocate for civil rights for people with disabilities. FREED was one of California’s first rural independent living centers. We have been consumer-controlled from our inception (i.e., a majority of our Board and Staff have disabilities). We are guided by a cross-disability Board of Directors united by the common goal of equality for people with disabilities. We are an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Click here for a list of the services we offer.

For more history of FREED, click here to see Heather Heckler’s terrific poster on our history from the Documenting Our History Project.

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