Like many youth in YBGR’s residential treatment program, Leah had a chaotic upbringing. Her parents struggled with addiction and were in and out of jail. She was bounced from her parents to her grandparents to foster care and back again so many times, she lost count of all the different places she had lived. When Leah was fourteen, she started getting into trouble. Her grandparents hired an attorney and were finally able to get full custody of her, but Leah continued to get into trouble, plagued by feelings of hopelessness and abandonment. She was going to therapy, but her grandparents felt like she needed more than an hour a week and sought services at YBGR.
Soon after arriving at the Ranch, Leah volunteered for the work crews. She preferred being outside and using her hands to being in the lodge. Her first day working for Ranch staff Gary and Ally with the cows was life-changing for Leah. She fell in love with caring for the animals and tackled every task enthusiastically. Her grandparents loved hearing about her day, especially on the days she worked with the cows because she was always so happy. As she worked through her treatment, her grandparents went to work at home learning about 4-H and getting Leah enrolled in the local club so that she could continue to learn and do the work that she loved. Leah is now back at home and has a great group of friends who share her passion for farm work and help her stay out of trouble. Most importantly, Leah no longer feels hopeless and knows that she is loved.
*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.
