A $28,000 donation from an Oxnard-based development company is helping Arc Ventura County as it moves forward on relocating its community integration program in the Wagon Wheel area to a new facility elsewhere in Oxnard.

Oxnard Village LLP, owners of the Wagon Wheel property, agreed to help Arc Ventura County, which has been serving individuals with developmental disabilities at the 2700 Buckaroo Ave. site for the past decade. The facility is in a 63-acre complex in northeast Oxnard scheduled for redevelopment.

Arc Ventura County officials purchased a facility at 416 North A St., Oxnard, said Jim White, Arc Ventura County director of transportation and development. "They are working toward closing the current site by August and hope to move the program into its new location by the first of November," White said.

The new facility was originally a series of small offices used by doctors and dentists. To make it work for the community integration program, about $800,000 for remodeling and renovations are needed on the building, constructed in 1952.

The extensive work includes removing walls to "open it up a bit" and making modifications to meet the needs of the agency's program participants and ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"The purchase itself was quite an investment, and we're learning how much more funds are needed to renovate the property," White said. "Our challenge is to raise the funds needed for those improvements, which are expected to take at least three months to complete."

The assistance from Oxnard Village is a huge first step, he added. "Now, we need to broadcast this message and seek the community's assistance to help make our new home a reality."

In addition to Oxnard, Arc Ventura County offers community integration services in the cities of Ojai, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Camarillo and Ventura.

Each day, clients have a broad selection of activities to choose from, including employment training, paid employment opportunities, community college classes, computer use, community excursions, dance, music, gardening, exercise, yoga and arts and crafts.

The new site is a good fit for the community integration program because it is close to downtown Oxnard, public transportation and a park.

Participants are taught functional skills they can apply to everyday living, such as hygiene and grooming, sensory responsiveness, motor skills and social interaction.

Founded in 1954, Arc Ventura County is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting and assisting people with developmental disabilities toward a life of opportunity, well-being, freedom, inclusion and contribution.

For more information on Arc Ventura County's Oxnard community integration program or to find out how to help, contact Jim White at 650-8611, ext. 216.