2024 Annual Report
- The Circle Ranch
- May 1, 2024
- 5 min read
2024 Circle Ranch Highlights
● Circle Ranch families provided loving Christian homes for 37 children in 2024. This represents almost 20% of all foster placements in Morgan County!
● Complete renovation of house 5 is well underway and we hope to complete the project by Q1 2025.
● Installed new energy-efficient windows for all the facilities at Circle Ranch. 144 windows!
● Developed a free groceries distribution ministry that serves Ranch families and an average of 50 other foster families from surrounding communities. This helps feed over 150 foster children each month and lowers the significant costs for groceries for the foster families.
● Hosted five DHR required training sessions on site for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents.
● Developing a “Foster the Fosters” ministry for partner churches to help relieve some of the daily time burdens for Circle Ranch families. More information on this prototype model is coming soon!
● Established a thriving “foster closet” stocked with basic clothing & necessities. This is used by Ranch families and other foster families in the community to supply new or existing foster placements.
● Completed several improvements to the gym for ventilation/climate control including a large overhead fan in the main gym, a portable evaporative condenser for cooling, and mini-split HVAC units in the front rooms for the grocery’s ministry and the multi-purpose room.
● Completed installation of two above ground storm shelters that are adequately sized to accommodate
the foster families living at the Ranch.
● Completed the installation of an additional parking/gathering area for use during our special events.
● Acquired a/v equipment for use in training session events and the large special events.
● Installed WiFi capability for common areas of the Ranch.
● Installed a family fellowship area in the common area adjacent to the playground.
● Launched a new website for Circle Ranch. thecircleranch.org
● Developed a template for a quarterly Circle Ranch newsletter to keep Ranch Partners better informed of projects, progress, and needs.
2025 Circle Ranch Vision
● Increase the base of supporting local churches for operational & serving needs.
● Communicate the urgent need for more qualified Christian foster parents in our communities
● Provide more help to Ranch foster parents/children. (Parents night out, more meals, regular Bible
studies, outings for the foster children)
● Complete the full renovation of House 5 in Q1 2025.
● Add 2 new foster families to the Ranch community. (6 applicants currently being vetted)
● Demo original Boy’s Ranch admin building to prepare for future multi-purpose building for training
purposes, foster closet, groceries distribution ministry, and family events.
● Paint houses & gym
● Expand use of the Ranch as a hub resource for other foster, adoptive, or kinship families in surrounding
communities.
● Construct a new facility for equipment/materials storage & shop. Demo unsafe shed building.
How You Can Help
Circle Ranch families provide a loving, Christian environment for children that have become a part of the child welfare system due to abuse or neglect. To follow are some ways to help sustain daily operations, improve the physical environment of the Ranch, or help provide emotional support to the families by relieving some of the requirements on their available time each day so they can do what they do best - love and care for the children! We ask only that you prayerfully consider these ministry opportunities to seek the Lord’s guidance for how your church might be used to partner with us in caring for the families of Circle Ranch.
Operational Support
● Recurring financial support. Any amount is appreciated and helpful for us to cover the current monthly average costs of $9,000. We are praying for growth so we can accommodate even more families and foster children and have plans to add two more foster families in early 2025 as we complete renovations on the final vacant home
on the property. At that time, we estimate our average monthly costs will increase by approximately 20% so additional financial support will be much needed to sustain operations. For the sake of an example, the average cost per month per child to operate Circle Ranch is approximately $275.
● Sponsor Events for foster families from North Alabama. We currently host four large, free events each year where we invite foster, adoptive, and kinship families from Morgan, Lawrence, Limestone, and Cullman counties to attend a day of fun, fellowship, and food in the safe environment of Circle Ranch. We host a Fall Festival, a Christmas breakfast, an Easter Celebration, and a Summer Back-to-School Bash. Besides the fun and networking
opportunities for the families at the events, we typically provide things like haircuts for the children, school supplies, or something practical to help offset costs for the foster families. Sponsorships help pay for the food, inflatables, and items given to the children at the events.
Serving Opportunities
● Help with grounds and facilities maintenance. This can be in the form of small teams of 2-3 people or larger groups as the project dictates. There are always maintenance or improvement projects underway!
● Foster the Fosters! This is a ministry where we identify ways to help support the Ranch families in a tangible way to relieve some of their daily time burdens and help encourage and support the children in practical ways. Examples of this are providing a weekly meal to a family, tutoring help for the children, or helping with laundry days. Imagine having a home with 10-12 children of a wide range of ages and trying to accomplish all the daily tasks these foster parents face.
● Provide childcare during foster training. Foster parents must receive initial and recurring training required by DHR to be licensed. Circle Ranch hosts these sessions for the convenience of their families and those from surrounding communities. The children of these foster parents are cared for in the gym on the property during the 3–4-hour training session. We have several churches that use this opportunity to conduct mini-VBS for the
children. There are many other opportunities besides these, and more are in development. We need more churches and their church families to help us in ministering to these families and children. Please consider these opportunities and we invite you to schedule a personal visit to Circle Ranch to see the ministry and ask any questions you have.
Please contact us at info@thecircleranch.org to schedule a visit.
Circle Ranch Leadership Information
Board of Directors:
Lawson Craig, Board Chairman
Stratton Orr, Vice-Chairman
Keith Bennett, Secretary
Ronne Harvell, Treasurer
Sylaina Hinkle
Amy Garnett
Legal Counsel: Doug Bacchus
On Site Operations Director - Jeff Denard
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