Christmas Appeal 2024
Dear Friends,
“I thought I was ready to go out into the world, but I wasn’t prepared for all the responsibilities that come with being an adult. I took the stability of The Ranch for granted and I didn’t realize things would be so hard once I was on my own!”
This was a conversation that I recently had with a child, now adult, that left our program earlier this year. It reflects a common sentiment of the difficulties that the kids face once they leave us. We spend a considerable portion of their stay attempting to prepare them for the realities of adulthood. However, it seems that these lessons rarely sink in until they are faced head on in the “real world”.
Watching young adults face this reality always hits me hard as I think back to the many discussions and training opportunities we had with the kids before they left and how excited they were for the autonomy and freedom that comes with an idealized vision of adulthood. I have a difficult time watching them become initially jaded by the responsibility and independence that they need to quickly adjust to.
For most young adults that are working their way into living independently, they have an established support system that will catch them if they fall. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most of the kids at The Ranch.
Recently, a donor approach me about this concern and we discussed options for making the transition to independent living less stressful for these young people. He and I both believe we can improve this situation by creating a transitional living program that allows for a slightly more structured environment while they dip their toes into the freedoms associated with independent living. It would include a resident advisor position who can be available to listen to the residents and monitor the adjustment the kids are making to the new challenges and provide them assistance before they make errors that can take years to overcome. In this environment, they could go to school and find a job while also being able to lean on Ranch staff for support when they face unfamiliar challenges.
We have a property in Albuquerque that would be ideal for building a small complex for the kids to live in once they turn 18 and move on from our program. Our initial plans are to build a unit that will house four residents with space for the resident advisor. The program would provide specific assistance in personal management, including learning how to maintain a budget, banking options, use of credit cards, time management, etc.
Because we have already invested so much in these young lives, we feel this would be an ideal extension of the work already done. It is our hope that you will join us in this new venture. As always, we are deeply grateful for your interest in the residents and your willingness to support them.
From all of us at The Ranches, I want to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas. I am forever grateful for your dedication to our kids and your faith in our ability to rekindle hope for them.
Sincerely,
Mikela Kull – President
