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Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation

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Blog

Pretty Little Presley

January 18, 2023

Meet the newest member of the YBGR Equestrian Program, a 6-month old female quarter horse now named Presley. 

A naming contest was held and the top four names suggested by YBGR kids were Presley, Dixie, Paisley, and Cheesecake.  Presley won the final vote. 

This young filly’s serious training as an equine program horse will begin when she is 2 years old.

Until then, YBGR’s Equine Specialist MacKenzie Warren, pictured at left, and youth enrolled in the Equestrian Program will work with Presley on basic skills and building trust with humans.  

Presley is being fostered by Sophie Sue, one of the Ranch’s mares, who can give the youngster a sense of safety and security and a trained adult horse to learn from and emulate.

Jessica

January 17, 2023

Jessica* came to YBGR recently, struggling to reconcile bad experiences in her life.  She is very direct, says it like it is, and wants to get to the bottom of things. Soon after arriving, Jessica was convinced by a peer in her lodge to attend YoungLife Camp which is held on the YBGR campus twice a year.

The first night was lots of fun, and she started becoming comfortable very quickly. She hadn’t been in a church for a long time, and after the second night’s message, she sought out Chaplain John Boeder and said she needed to talk. He stopped by her lodge later that night, and she talked to him about her entire life story, her struggles, and ended by asking, “Is this all my fault, and why would God still love me and forgive me?”

Her whole life, she had been led to believe that God was some sort of angry parent waiting for her to mess up and punish her, but what she heard throughout the camp were messages of God’s love, grace, and acceptance. They prayed together, and she said she felt much better and that a relationship with Jesus is exactly what she needed right now. Jessica is currently attending every Chapel service, asking questions, and goes to YoungLife Club every other Wednesday.

Donate Today!

*For the privacy of the youth served at the Ranch, names have been changed. Image(s) shown here are a representation of those served at the Ranch.

Jon

January 17, 2023

 

Jon* came to YBGR with a philosophy of “the less of Christianity, the better.” Jon had no interest in YoungLife Club, Chapel, or any of the Spiritual Life activities we offer based on his past experiences with religion. As far as he could tell, going to church seemed to have no effect on changing his circumstances. Over the summer, though, Jon began showing up to YoungLife Club on Wednesdays because a peer had convinced him it was fun.

After Summer YoungLife Camp, the questions began: “Who is Jesus?”, “Why does God love us?”, and “Am I going to hell for…?” A spark had been lit. Fast forward to Winter YoungLife Camp, and Jon participated in every aspect, convinced other peers to attend, and prayed every night for his peers, the Ranch, and most importantly, his mother. Jon accepted Jesus into his heart, and while his outside circumstances have not yet changed, there was a peace and acceptance that has begun a change from within.

Donate Today!

*For the privacy of the youth served at the Ranch, names have been changed. Image(s) shown here are a representation of those served at the Ranch.

New Year – New Opportunities

January 3, 2023

Make Tax-Wise Gift Planning Your 2023 New Year’s Resolution!

-Resolve to reduce income taxes.
-Resolve to avoid capital gains.
-Resolve to increase your family income.
-Resolve to rid yourself of investment worries.
-Resolve to know the good work your charitable legacy is doing today.

Charitable Gift Annuity rates just increased effective January 1, 2023.

Plus, Congress just passed the Secure Act 2.0 which offers a unique one-time IRA-to-Charitable Gift Annuity opportunity.

Contact us today to learn more about charitable planned gift opportunities available this year.

New Year – New Rates

January 3, 2023

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
but Gift Annuity Income is so delightful
and since Yellowstone is the place to go
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

The payment guidelines we consider as sponsoring members of the American Council on Gift Annuity just increased.  When you fund a Yellowstone Gift Annuity today, your payments will be at higher rates than in recent years.  Once you fund a gift annuity, your rate and your payments never change.  With the new higher rates, the rate you lock in today is yours for as long as you live.

A good decision just got better!  A Yellowstone Gift Annuity gives you:

– Fixed payments for life.
– An income tax deduction this year for a portion of the funding amount.
– Capital gains benefits when funded with appreciated securities.
– Payments for one or two lives.

Contact us today to find out what a Yellowstone Gift Annuity do for you! 

Secure Act 2.0

January 3, 2023

At year-end 2022, Congress passed the Secure Act. 2.0 which allows for a limited one-time IRA direct rollover to a qualified Charitable Gift Annuity:

  • Applies to IRA owners Age 70 1/2.
  • Allows a one-time tax-free transfer of up to $50,000 from an IRA to a Charitable Gift Annuity.
  • The IRA to Gift Annuity allows payments to the IRA owner and spouse.
  • The IRA transfer qualifies as your annual Required Minimum Distribution.
  • The IRA to Gift Annuity generates income for life based on the American Council on Gift Annuity rate guidelines.

Contact Yellowstone Foundation today to learn how you can take advantage of this new charitable gift annuity opportunity.

2023 Calendars

January 2, 2023

 

Last chance to get the 2023 Yellowstone Calendar. 

Our popular full color photo calendar features Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch kids at work and play.

Each month is accompanied by a motivational Bible verse for a year full of blessings! 

Plus, the 2023 calendar includes a special feature on Yellowstone Academy, our K-12 school on the YBGR campus. 

Request copies of the 2023 Yellowstone Calendar here.

Christmas Time is Here!

December 14, 2022

Christmas week at YBGR is full of activity as volunteers wrap and deliver Secret Santa gifts of lodges, carolers sing, decorations are hung, and the smell of gingerbread fills the dining hall.

The center of campus activity is the Robbie Chapel where special events and services are held throughout Christmas Week.

Please know the difference your gift this holiday season makes in the lives of the YBGR kids. 

Thanks for your generosity throughout the past year.

From all of us at Yellowstone, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Best Friends

December 5, 2022

The 2022 YBGR Christmas ornament celebrates our Therapy Dogs – Cooper and Emmy Lou!

This year new therapy dog, Cooper, joined veteran therapy dog, Emmy Lou. They can be found somewhere on the YBGR campus most days.

Pet Therapy has been available to the children at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch for over 20 years.

These beautiful Golden Retrievers are certified for pet therapy through the Delta Society and Pet Partners.

Their interactions can help decrease feelings of isolation and depression, provide comfort, lower anxiety, reducing stress, and stimulate feelings of joy and belonging for youth dealing with challenging mental health issues. 

Cooper and Emmy Lou are campus standouts and everybody’s friends and we are happy to celebrate them with our 2022 ornament.

Equestrian Program

November 15, 2022

Since the Ranch opened in 1957, kids in the residential therapy program have always been able to enjoy horseback riding, and in 2005, Equine Therapy was added.

YBGR uses the EAGALA therapy model to work directly with horses and children at the Ranch to provide healing and support to emotionally disturbed youth

EAGALA helps youth by using their own instincts to engage the horses in various activities and challenges.

YBGR continues to offer recreational riding to residential children which allows the children to experience the simple joy of riding a horse.  In addition, learning about basic care and maintenance of the animals is another skill youth can use even after leaving the Ranch.

The Equestrian Program and Equine Therapy are made possible by our generous donors, from purchasing horses when needed to caring for the horses health to ongoing training of staff.

Winter Wear Fund

November 15, 2022

Winter Wear Fund 2022Aidan entered third grade at Yellowstone Academy in the fall of 2022.  Like many children at YA, Aidan is a special needs student who comes from a low income family. 

He immediately started benefiting from the low student to teacher ratio and the highly trained and caring staff at YA.  However, as the weather grew colder, Aidan came to school day after day with a coat that was too small and no gloves or hat. 

The staff took notice, and, thanks to the WINTER WEAR FUND, were able to provide a new coat that fit and new mittens, hat, and scarf.

Now, instead of being reluctant to go outside for recess, Aidan is the first one at the door to go out and play in the snow.

Our generous donors have ensured that funds are available to provide children like Aidan with coats, mitten, hats, scarves, and boots for the cold Montana weather, but the fund is currently getting low.  We need your help to ensure that students at YA can continue to get outside and play while still keeping warm.

Secret Santa

November 15, 2022

Christmas has always been a big deal at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch.  For more than 50 years, loyal donors have taken on the role of SECRET SANTA to ensure boys and girls in treatment over the Holidays have gifts and stockings to look forward to on Christmas morning. You would be amazed at how meaningful it is to the kids, and how grateful they are. 

“Dear Santa, thank you so much for making Christmas in treatment real this year. It means so much to me!”    A – Dorothy’s Lodge youth

“Dear Santa, thank you for the clothes I got this year.  You are a very generous person. My favorite was the purple hoodie. Thank you for the new pants, sweats, and shirts ♥  Merry Christmas.”    M – Fortin West Lodge youth

In a respectful and humble spirit, we ask our donors to again help ensure kids at the Ranch continue to experience the love and affection the Secret Santa program brings.

It really does make a difference to our kiddos to know someone cares!

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