The Ranch Celebrates 35 Years
05/11/2011

Founded in 1976 as the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch, Inc. to provide:  “Exclusively charitable, educational, and the prevention of cruelty to boys, by providing a home, ranch, and training school for underprivileged boys.”  The organization was created to provide a non-governmental residential childcare program for children from all 75 counties in Arkansas.
The organization was officially incorporated on January 6, 1976, following more than two years of planning and organizational meetings.  A group of sheriffs concerned about the plight of abused, neglected, and homeless children, asked the 75-member Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association (ASA) to assist in the development of a children’s home that would rely basically on the generosity of Arkansas people.  The ASA membership voted to create a Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch Committee to research the practicality of establishing a “home, ranch, and/or training school for boys.” One of the decisions made was to involve the business community in forming such a program and rely on the 75 sheriffs for community grassroots support.

Read more…