Eagle Ranch: Family Care Model
For the last 35 years, Eagle Ranch has gone above and beyond in order to serve struggling families and students through education, counseling, support groups, and family care. The Ranch’s two biggest initiatives are their school (2nd–11th grade) and their Support and Family Care Model, where students come to live on the property in a home that models and encourages healthy behavior. Most students who come to live at Eagle Ranch and attend their school are not only dealing with personal trauma and pain but are also typically one to two grade levels behind. For these students—most of whom are in middle school when they arrive at the Ranch—education has not been a priority and can become a frustrating roadblock.
That’s why Eagle Ranch designed their classes to be small and personal. Learning becomes interactive, experiential, and exciting. Students are able to experience academic success for the first time and simultaneously learn that there’s a God who cares for them. A student named Josh was almost two years behind in school when he came to Eagle Ranch. Stuck in a rut of anger, bitterness, and fear, Josh experienced both personal healing and academic success for the first time through the help of his houseparents, housemates, teachers, and counselors. Josh, who once hated and feared school, grew close to God, graduated at the top of his class, and now studies at the University of Georgia.
Because of your generosity during Be Rich last year, you provided financial support for both Eagle Ranch’s houseparents and their school. The school was able to purchase new curricula, software, and books for their students. Eagle Ranch has also been able to offer a Day School for struggling fourth- and fifth-grade students who live off-campus. This program allows these children to live at home while still taking part in the healing community of Eagle Ranch. The Ranch was able to provide this program to four students this year, and the staff hopes to triple that number next year.
According to Kelly Brewer, the Ranch’s Director of Development and Outreach, Eagle Ranch’s purpose is to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world. “You guys are that,” she said of Gwinnett Church. “You’re the hands and feet coming alongside us.” Thank you for showing the students and families at Eagle Ranch that you’re FOR them!
