Katie*

This 14-year-old girl, who has been living with her aunt for the past few years, has faced significant trauma in her life. Despite her experiences, she still exhibits kindness and is such a sweetheart. One thing we’ve noticed is that she can be hesitant when making even small decisions at the Ranch. One of our favorite things to do is gently encourage her—and all our kids—to feel confident expressing what they’d like to do.

As she rode Opie, we saw her joy grow with every moment. Her smiles grew bigger and bigger and she let us know how much she loved riding Opie!

kevin*

Kevin wanted to create a special 'catered' dish for the goats at our ranch. We taught him how to safely hold and use a knife, and he loved it! He enjoys cooking and trying out different things in the kitchen. These interactions give us the opportunity to speak into each kiddo’s life, highlighting the gifts we see in them. Of course, the goats loved the dish too!

This kiddo came from a household where the responsibilities of an adult were placed on him, even by his own mother. For him to discover something he loves doing, without the pressure or expectation of an adult, was a huge win.

Brandon*

This past month, we had a kiddo who loves playing with nerf guns—he spent the entire 90-minute session giggling and running around. But in the midst of the fun, he opened up about how hard school has been and how a classmate had made him really frustrated.

This was a big moment, as expressing his feelings can be challenging for this sweet little guy. Thanks to the safe and supportive environment we create at the ranch, our mentors were able to encourage him in navigating that situation, giving him the space to process his emotions.

This is what Reclaiming Hope is all about—creating the freedom and space for kids to express themselves through play.

* Names Changed for Protection *