Mentor | Empower | Hope
WHAT WE DO
Crown Valley Youth Ranch is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) ministry that is nondenominational. We have been serving the families of Tulare County going on 7 years. One on one mentoring is our priority for children 6 to 18 years old. Kids come in for a 90 minute “session” every other week.
We serve three kinds of children at the ranch, including those with special needs, “average” kids (church going or not) and at-risk youth. This lets us cast a wide net!
The session is generally divided into 3 features. Counsel time is used to connect with the child and find out how they are doing. A child that is a Believer is challenged to know the Bible and why Jesus is our only hope and salvation. Counsel time for a non-believing child would include a conversation about how nature points to a creator. Prayer is always at the end of Counsel time. Counsel time is usually around 20 minutes. It may take more time if the child has a lot going on and needs someone to talk with, which is what we want.
Counsel time is followed by a chore! We expect the child to do a chore that lasts about 10 minutes. Raking leaves, hoeing weeds, picking up trash, etc. The idea is the child needs to give something before they get something.
Finally the child or mentor decides on the activity they will do that day. Available activities include the following:
- Horse program- care, safety and riding instruction. We make it a lot of fun with games and challenges on real gentle horses!
- Gardening- kids can have their own gardening box and grow stuff the get to take home.
- Fishing- very popular with the boys! We have a pond on site stocked with fish!
- Arts and crafts- this includes painting, clay sculpture, sewing, leather work, bead work and usually a seasonal themed project.
- Woodworking- bird houses, dog houses or some project that can be fun and educational.
- Home economics- baking cookies, etc.
- Survival and bushcraft- this is based on the life of David and how he depended on God while living in the desert. Boys learn how to make fire, shelter, procure water and food and basic survival skills. The culmination of this is a camping trip in the mountains with the kids and dads so the kids can show what they have learned.
All activities have opportunities to illustrate the gospel in unique ways. We also allow (and pray) for the Holy Spirit to take the session where it needs to go.
Another feature of CVYR is horse rescue. We have seen the value of rehabilitation of horses because like many of our kids can identify with what the horse has gone through. Horses that have been neglected, starved and abused give hope to kids that have been neglected, starved and abused. Both did not ask or deserve the situation that was cast on them. Wounded horses give wounded kids hope. They understand each other.
All services offered are FREE OF CHARGE!
No family pays anything for bringing their children.
Why are we doing all this? We believe in putting our faith into action! The book of James says “Do not just be hearers of the word, but be doers of the word “. We see first hand how lost kids are and how easy sometimes it is for them to change their perspective on God, parents life and eternity. The saddest thing is they don’t know their potential or options. Suicide is seen as acceptable. Kids are hungry for a real relationship with someone who truly cares for them, they can change, I’ve seen it over and over.
God has done many miracles to bring this ministry to where we are. Why? Because He loves his lost children and is drawing them to Him.