As the storyteller of the Ranch, I have the opportunity to sit and talk to many people affiliated with the agency, from house moms and unit managers to Ranch youth and international volunteers.

The common factor in each of these discussions isn’t only the agency, but one small but very meaningful four letter word: love.

The word love keeps popping up in conversation, whether I’m talking to a staff, former youth, a family in our community services program, volunteer, or young adult with developmental disabilities. These people rarely elaborate on their love because it’s one of those universal feelings –something that we’re all expected to give, receive, and have. But sometimes people coming to the Ranch don’t understand that feeling and don’t know how to express it, that’s why we teach it. 

Love is something that Ranch Ehrlo is built upon. We help define love every day whether it’s in the confessions of a staff loving their job, a child loving their house mom, or a parent telling their child for the first time.

Just read the expressions of love that I’ve been lucky enough to experience with some of the wonderful people who make up this agency:

• “Flo is my (house) mom and I love her so much. Everything she does – I appreciate,” Ranch youth


• “The kids are great. I just love them,” war veteran and guest speaker Dennis Chisholm


• “If I had a bad day I knew I could talk to someone – I was happy about that, I loved that,” former youth Emilio Bear


• “One of the things I love about working at the Ranch is the programs evolve based on the needs of the kids,” vice-president of Education Corrina Hayden-Fidler


• “This job teaches you how to give love, and right now, in this world, that’s something that we are missing,” international volunteer Nelson Martinez


• “Love  is something everyone could use a little more of,” Paper Crane project participants