While NDC founder, Bryce Barnes, was teaching at the San Carlos Detention Center, his heart was stirred for the youth who were in and out of jail for drug and alcohol abuse, truancy, and violence among other crimes. Hearing stories about reservation life and looking into the eyes of kids who were just trying to survive in such a harsh environment moved him. At times, the injustice towards the youth was overwhelming to him. 

Because there was no transition center at the time, some of the youth were housed in detention due to homelessness or for their own safety. So he began to pursue a vision of developing a way for struggling youth and their families to receive hands-on education, inspiration, and life skills training in a peaceful, life-giving, and  transformational environment. When Bryce was exposed to the unused land at the 90-acre Dripping Springs location in San Carlos, the vision was sparked to use this space to help people rehabilitate and transition from their time in detention.

Since NDC started in 2012, we have developed our programs to include food security and community revitalization for all ages. Today, through tribal and non-tribal partnerships, our focus is to bring greater holistic health to the San Carlos Apache people.