The Ranches Consolidation Questions and Answers
Q. How much money do you expect to save through this consolidation? Is that enough to
continue providing your youth services as you have in the past, or will you need to make other expense-cutting
actions?
A. Once the transition is complete, we expect the consolidation to save over $700,000 each year. Obviously, no one knows how long the current economic situation will last, but we are hopeful we will not need to make additional cuts for the foreseeable future. Our goal is to develop our new campus near Edgewood when the financial resources become available. Our facilities are old, and maintenance is a constant problem; but by making the difficult decisions now, we are hoping to start that project sooner.
Q. Does this action mean that your donations have dropped significantly?
A. We have some of the most generous and faithful donors in the world. Contributions are down for us but thankfully, we are not facing the decline in donations that some non-profits are facing. In order to make budget each year, we utilize income from a number of sources. We have had an over-dependence on investment, trusts and estates income for several years, and those are all down. So, when you look at all of our revenue sources as a group, then our revenue is significantly down.
Q. As part of this move, will you be laying off any staff?
A. This is a very difficult question to answer. Obviously we will need fewer people; however, due to attrition, cross training and better use of our community based programs, it is possible that layoffs will be minimal.
Q. What ideas do you have for raising money through your Lamy property? Are you actively working with anyone on that currently?
A. We have talked about several short term uses like periodic training for our staff and for staff from other programs. We have some excellent trainers who work for The Ranches. We have also talked about the possibility of conducting summer camp activities there for the kids of The Ranches. Once things turn around, we may find a way to use it for kids again. Due to its location, I am confident we will have people wanting to buy it. Our Board of Directors will have to ultimately make that decision.
Q. How is your organization funded? Is it totally through donations?
A. Yes, it is totally through donations. I am not sure that this is true -- but I have been told we are the only children’s program in the country that does what we do and is not sponsored by a national organization or denomination and still takes no government funding. To do it for 65 years has been amazing. We give most of the credit to our faithful donors.
Q. How many years have you operated separate facilities for boys and girls?
A. Our Ranch for boys originally opened in 1944. We established our Ranch for girls in 1982. Back in the 1980s, several boys and girls ranches in other states branched out and built separate facilities also. With recent high gas prices and problems associated with management from a distance, many have moved their various programs back together, and it looks like we will do the same.
Q. Do you expect challenges with moving from separated facilities, both in distance and by gender, to coed facilities?
A. There are advantages and disadvantages. We were already scheduling many social events with residents of both ranches so the boys and girls could interact. When Boys Ranch and later the Girls Ranch first started, the children attended public schools. We do not regret starting our own schools because they enable us to better meet the unique educational needs of the young people in our care. But by having schools on both campuses there were not adequate opportunities for appropriate interaction. I believe we are currently the only residential child care facility in the state that is not coed.
Q. Have you talked with the residents of your Boys and Girls Ranches about this yet? If so, what were their reactions? If not, what do you expect their reactions will be?
A. Yes, we have talked to the residents. I would say there was a wide range of reactions. Some were cautiously optimistic while others were delighted. A few were not sure that this would be a good idea and are taking a “wait and see” attitude. In short they reacted about like any group when confronted with such a change.
Q. How many boys and how many girls do you currently serve at the Boys and Girls Ranches locations? Do you expect those numbers to change with the consolidation?
A. Currently we have room for 40 boys at our Belen Ranch (over 2000 acres), and room for 20 girls at our Lamy Ranch (117 acres). By consolidating these facilities into the larger Belen property, we will gain the flexibility to adjust the boy/girl ratio when it seems appropriate, based on need. It will also facilitate keeping family sibling groups together and in close proximity which will give us more flexibility.
Q. Have you considered not offering the educational component of your services? If your youth went to regular public school in the Belen area, wouldn’t you be able to save expenses?
A. Yes, we seriously considered this but most of the young people we work with come to us several years behind their peers in school. We also work hard at our school to avoid the negative and pre-gang attitudes that some kids unfortunately have. We have learned the hard way that being able to control a child’s environment 24-7 gives us a huge advantage over public schools. We can also incorporate other programs into the school that facilitate better peer relations for the children. If further cuts become necessary, I am sure this will be reconsidered. For now we prefer to continue to educate the kids at the ranch where we can more effectively address educational and related issues.
Q. What type of success rate do you have with your residents? To what do you attribute your success?
A. Success with children is measured in many ways. Because school success has such a direct effect on overall success, we put much of our efforts into the schools. Also, one size never fits all when considering behavioral issues. Consequently, each child brings unique gifts, needs and weaknesses. We work hard to honor each child’s uniqueness. Therefore, what is success for one child is not for another. If children develop the skills to live independent lives and are contributing members of their community once they reach adulthood, we consider them successful.
Q. Why do you think the rural atmosphere of The Ranches is good for these disadvantaged youth?
A. There are many reasons. It gives us the room for the kids to be involved with animals which we feel is always good. We also have a host of wholesome activities, such as 4-H, gardening, scouting, horseback riding, that engage our kids with nature. For example, sometimes the youngsters involved in a biology class can walk a short distance and find a host of things to study like wild birds, bugs, farming, irrigation, and just have the room to roam and discover.
Q. What types of problems have your “disadvantaged youth” brought to your care?
A. There are too many for me to list but I will attempt to list a few of the more serious. Many of the kids we work with have seen and had to deal with things kids should not have to see or do. For example some children may have lived with a drug or alcohol addicted parent; some kids have gone through the trauma of seeing a parent or other family members arrested, some multiple times, for crimes including domestic violence. Some kids have lived in gang controlled neighborhoods where they have had to fight their way to school and home many times; some kids have lost their childhoods because they had to assume the responsibility for younger siblings or irresponsible parents. I could go on and on, but you can see my point.
