Roots and Wings Ranch

On any given day there’s over 400,000 children in foster care nationwide, over 12,000 in the State of Georgia and 800 in Northeast Georgia.  75% of these are getting reunited with mom and dad or adopted.  This leaves 25% in foster care, some of which never leave it.  Once they age out they are dependent on the government, homeless or having a child starting the cycle all over again.  The system is underfunded focusing on basic care, leaving these kids with a major disadvantage.  Their environment isn't one they asked for nor is it providing them any opportunity for them to achieve maturity and financial standards. Standards by the way we don't even hold our own kids too.

You can look the other way and say this isn't my problem.  You can think someone else should cover the cost to fix this.  Although it's not about cost, every child WE fail is costing you and I one million dollars ($1,000,000) in lost potential and social services for this child over the course of their lifetime.

This is not what Jesus taught us.  We can do more to serve and help his children.

And now we're going to!  With the establishment of Roots and Wings Ranch, this ranch will support up to 100 children when it is completely built out.  We will provide these children love, stability, a relationship with Jesus and an opportunity “not a shirt” to help them grow into mature, financially stable Christians, breaking the cycle they came from.  They will be placed with House Parents, ranch employees, whose only job is to support, love these kids.  They will always bring their A game to them, making them number one probably for the first time in their life.  

This ranch is a big idea and it's a big project.  The great news is it's been done before by John Croyle.  John Croyle is the founder of Big Oaks Ranch in Gadsden, Alabama.  They have perfected this model for over 48 years having served over 2000 children. You could say he's the inspiration behind this Ranch and will be a mentor for us as we get underway.

The ranch will contain multiple facilities, with the goal of creating a community for these children to belong to.  These facilities are designed to support the house parents and children's needs:  Athletic Complex & Ball Fields, Pantry (onsite stores), Horse Barn and Admin & Maintenance Buildings to support the ranch.  Our goal is to build homes, not houses. Homes with welcoming front porches.

Our program is designed to support the children's mental, physical and spiritual growth. One that will foster their growth with love and dedicated parents whose only job is to raise their children.  We understand these children are coming from various environments, all have suffered some form of abuse.  Our counselors will design customized programs working alongside our house parents to help them write the next chapter in their life.

If you pray to God to move mountains, be sure to have a shovel in your hand when you get off your knees.