Houseparent Blog

Like people all across the world, Joy Ranch has been thrown into a time of uncertainty and social distancing. When this pandemic first started, we weren’t sure what to expect. Since learning schools were closing for the remainder of the current school year, staff at the Ranch have continually prayed one thing: “Lord, use this…

By: Dan Austin, Director As we approach the Easter celebration, it is going to be different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There will not be the traditional Easter worship services or cantatas. While I’m grateful for the virtual worship services, they just have a different feel than gathering with other believers/family. There will…

There has been some confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic about whether Joy Ranch has remained open or not. In short, we are open. We have no choice. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that we don’t want to be here, it’s just that we literally have no choice. We have kids who have nowhere else…

We are officially on Day 8 of isolation. Although Virginia isn’t as strict as some states in this time of containment, it does have more stringent requirements than neighboring states. The Wellness Center and libraries are closed. Football conditioning and basketball season are officially over. For the safety of our children, they are no longer…

It has been a few weeks since Valentine’s Day. It was such a fun day for all the kids, and there was a lot of celebrating going on! The boys celebrated with special Valentine’s traditions, gifts and surprises, and sweets from a local baker. The girls were thrilled with a personal necklace and a rose…

“I’m sorry” We have all received an apology that was less than heart-felt. Saying sorry is something everyone has to do at some point in their life. It is also something everyone struggles with at some point in their life. Sometimes it is hard to know the right thing to say. Sometimes we know the…

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With another holiday season rapidly approaching it’s time to take a look at Fall Holidays. In an earlier post (titled “Holidays” if you’d like to go back and check it out) we discussed Spring holidays, and how holidays at the Ranch can be difficult, since kids are away from their families. Fall holidays are no…

Since we have talked about what happens when kids come to join us at Joy Ranch, the next logical question is: What happens when they leave? When kids leave is determined by a lot of factors – in the end there are times when our kids leave having completed a transition plan (meaning it has…