Spotlight on Charity - Cal Farley's Boys Ranch® & Affiliates Provides a Home for Boys and Girls in Crisis

This is the section of the newsletter that I most enjoy writing, because I get to research and learn about worthy organizations that many of you may never have heard of, and yet are doing wonderful things for people and communities.  This month, I am spotlighting Cal Farley's Boy's Ranch & Affiliates (Cal Farley's Girlstown, USA and Cal Farley's Family Program) and I am really excited to share this outstanding organization with you.  In 1939, Cal Farley founded the Boy's Ranch on land donated by Julian Bivins near Amarillo, Texas.  Cal's goal was to provide a "Shirttail to Hang Onto" for boys and girls from broken homes and broken lives who needed a family to raise and support them. 

One such child was Billy, whose mother tied him in a burlap sack and tossed him in a lake when he was only three years old.  Luckily, Billy was rescued by fishermen, and was eventually brought to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, where he grew up.  At Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, Billy worked in the dairy barn, learned auto repair, participated in athletics and was the star quarterback on the football team.  He went on to earn a degree in education and taught at Cal Farley's Boys Ranch for more than eleven years. 

In the past year, Cal Farley's Boy's Ranch has served over 2,000 children from throughout the United States through residential or outreach services.  Basic residential programs and services in a Christian, structured environment are provided at three campuses in West Texas.  Children learn vocational skills, participate in athletics, attend school, and gain the loving support of house parents as they rebuild their lives.  Family reunification services, community transition services, referral to other agencies, scholarship assistance, and family education are other services provided by this organization.  Families are not charged anything for the services provided.  Everything is covered by donations.  You can learn more about Cal Farley's Boys Ranch and how you can help by visiting http://www.calfarley.org.