Darden Rehabilitation Foundation

What Darden Rehabilitation Foundation does

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation is a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program founded in 1957 and headquartered in Gadsden, Alabama. It serves adults and students with physical or mental disabilities across a five-county region in northeast Alabama (Etowah, Marshall, DeKalb, St. Clair, and Cherokee). The organization's mission is to help these individuals find, obtain, and secure competitive employment through individualized vocational rehabilitation services.

DRF delivers a portfolio of services organized into two tracks. The Vocational Development track comprises Vocational Evaluation, Career Services, Supported Employment, and Job Coaching. The Pre-Employment Transition Services track includes Driver Safety Education, Financial Literacy Training, and virtual job shadowing via the Pathful career planning platform. Service delivery occurs at the Gadsden facility and at community sites across the service area, with staff including evaluators, community employment specialists, supported employment specialists, driver education instructors, and program coordinators.

The organization is funded through its partnership with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, which is also the primary referral channel through which consumers access programs. DRF is a designated United Way Agency and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for Employment Services and Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services, with accreditation renewed October 2024 through October 2027. Services are provided to consumers at no direct charge. Technology is not a core focus; the service model is human-centered vocational rehabilitation, supplemented by third-party tools such as Pathful.

Name

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation

Legal name

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation

Website

https://dardenrehab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation is a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program founded in 1957 in Gadsden, Alabama, delivering vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, job coaching, driver safety, and financial literacy services to adults and students with disabilities across five northeast Alabama counties, funded through the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services and United Way.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Disability employment services
• Supported employment programs
• Job coaching services
• Career counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Gadsden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Contract / Program Funding: DRF operates as a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program receiving funding through its partnership with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Services are provided to consumers referred by the state agency at no direct charge to individuals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation is a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program that provides vocational rehabilitation and career services to individuals with disabilities in northeast Alabama. Operating since 1957 and CARF-accredited, the foundation delivers services such as vocational evaluation, supported employment, job coaching, driver safety education, financial literacy training, and the Pathful career exploration program, with consumers typically referred by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Product overview

Darden Rehabilitation Foundation operates as a Community Rehabilitation Program offering a unified suite of vocational rehabilitation services for adults and students with disabilities. The core service portfolio includes Vocational Evaluation, Career Services (job readiness, development, and retention), Supported Employment, Job Coaching, Driver Safety Education, Financial Literacy Training, and Pathful career planning platform. These services work together as a comprehensive pathway from assessment and skills development through job placement and retention support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vocational Evaluation
• Career Services
• Supported Employment
• Job Coaching
• Driver Safety Education
• Financial Literacy Training
• Pathful Career Exploration Program

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Alabama Department of Rehabilitation ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRF operates as a Community Rehabilitation Program in partnership with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. This partnership provides assistance to people with disabilities seeking competitive employment. Consumers must be referred by ADRS to be eligible for services.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRF is designated as a United Way Agency, indicating a funding and collaborative partnership with United Way to support the organization's mission of serving people with disabilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ServiceSource: ServiceSource is a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program providing vocational evaluation, supported employment, and job coaching for people with disabilities across multiple states. Directly comparable to DRF in service portfolio, CARF accreditation, and revenue model based on state VR contracts.
• Easter Seals Alabama: Easter Seals Alabama is a non-profit disability services organization providing vocational rehabilitation, employment, and independent living services across the state. It is directly comparable to DRF in mission, funding model (state VR contracts and United Way), and service mix including job coaching and supported employment.
• Goodwill Industries of North Alabama: Goodwill of North Alabama operates Community Rehabilitation Programs and Mission Services providing vocational evaluation, job training, and supported employment for people with disabilities in northern Alabama. Directly comparable to DRF in funding sources, CARF-aligned services, and consumer base.
• Marc Center: Marc Center is a non-profit organization based in Gadsden/East Alabama providing adult day programs, vocational services, and disability employment support. Closely comparable to DRF geographically and in mission, serving overlapping disability populations in northeast Alabama.
• Bancroft NeuroHealth: Bancroft is a non-profit provider of vocational, residential, and behavioral programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the mid-Atlantic. Comparable to DRF in providing vocational evaluation, supported employment, and job coaching, though with a broader residential service portfolio.
• LifeBridge (Training Rehabilitation Enterprises): LifeBridge is a non-profit Community Rehabilitation Program providing vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, and day services for individuals with disabilities. Comparable to DRF in scale, CARF-style accreditation practices, and reliance on state VR agency referrals.

Broad incumbents

• AbilityOne (SourceAmerica): AbilityOne is a federal program contracting with nonprofit agencies nationwide to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including vocational rehabilitation and supported employment. Comparable to DRF as a non-profit vocational rehabilitation pathway, though at far greater scale and with federal contracting focus.
• Easterseals National: Easterseals is a nationwide non-profit network providing disability services including vocational rehabilitation, employment supports, and independent living. Comparable to DRF in mission and service mix, but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth across the U.S.

Regional players

• Disability Rights Advocates: Disability Rights Advocates is a national non-profit legal center advancing disability rights and employment inclusion through advocacy and litigation. Adjacent to DRF in the disability employment ecosystem, though operating via legal/advocacy rather than direct VR service delivery.

Others

• Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS): ADRS is the state vocational rehabilitation agency that funds and refers consumers to Community Rehabilitation Programs including DRF. While not a direct competitor, ADRS is the most operationally connected entity — it is both DRF's largest referral source and a contracting counterpart, making it the closest ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100086931784341
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/darden-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Darden Rehabilitation Foundation