Dear Friends,

May is a month to remember and reflect.  It is a time to remember the lives of our loved ones with the celebration of Memorial Day, and a time to look back on what has been.  May also occurs during the season of spring where we enjoy new life and HOPE for a bright future ahead of us.  So it is only fitting that it is during this month of May, that I announce to you all that Valley Teen Ranch is in the process of remembering the old and transitioning to the new.

As many of you know, we are celebrating 30 years of service to our youth, our families, and our community.  Such a landmark has brought about the discussion of who has been at Valley Teen Ranch, and where we need to go to continue to make a difference.  In the past 30 years, many things have changed including the issues our children and youth bring with them and our expansion from the Group Homes at the Ranch to include Foster Care, Adoption and Transitional Living. Also the way the State of CA licensing has changed regulations, the costs for the care we provide, and the ever evolving Human Resources laws, just to name a few. In the past three decades our society has also gone through major changes that impact our children and youth.  Things like legalization of Marijuana, general drug & alcohol use and abuse,  the breakdown of the family, domestic violence, gang involvement, ineffective educational methods to teach our types of kids, suicide, mental health problems, poverty, less prevention programs, decay of moral values and character development, and less interest in any type of spiritual guidance.

As such, we have, through much work, prayer, and input from our Board of Directors and Staff over the past year, decided to rename and rebrand our organization.  Valley Teen Ranch will now be known as Ray of Hope – A Valley Teen Ranch Organization.  Our new logo will be launched at the Anniversary party.  We have also refreshed our mission, vision, and core values statement and have included them on the second page of this letter.

We are so excited to share this news with you, as each one of you is a part of where we have been and where we are going!  The needs are indeed great and the methods have had to modify, but we are still anchored to the ROCK of our Faith which gives us HOPE to serve the 70 children and youth in our care every day!  We work with our kids to show them, love them, feed them, laugh with them, pray with them, and lead them into a new way of thinking, believing, behaving, and ultimately living a HOPEFUL lifestyle when they leave us.

Please consider a living memorial for a loved one this month as we celebrate Memorial Day the end of the month.  Your gift will honor or memorialize your loved one and will be invested into the life of a young person who needs HOPE today.

Thanks for your prayers, confidence, support and encouragement.

Keep HOPE Alive,

Valley Teen Ranch, now doing business as Ray of Hope – A Valley Teen Ranch Organization, is pleased to announce our new mission, vision, foundational pillars, and theology of mission statements.

Mission Statement:

To provide HOPE to vulnerable children, youth, and families through life changing relationships and experiences.

Vision Statement:

That all children, youth, and families will live and THRIVE in safe and healthy homes.

Foundational Pillars:

• Hope
  • It is our goal that everything we do inspires HOPE.

• People & Relationships
  • We are committed to people, and look to develop and support respectful, healthy relationships.

• Faith
  • We believe that faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen, and all things are possible!

• Integrity & Excellence
  • It is our goal that all of our actions and interactions would be marked by integrity and excellence.

Theology of Mission:
A ministry of reconciliation through evangelism, discipleship, and social responsibility.

Connie R. Clendenan, CEO Valley Teen Ranch