Acres of Hope Youth Ranch

11/06/2026

Each week at Acres of Hope, we offer our kiddos a Bible verse to consider during their time at the ranch. It’s an invitation—not an expectation—and we love seeing the different ways kids choose to engage with it.

Some kids dive right in.
Some quietly think about it during their time at the ranch.
Some take the verse home.
Some hang it on their bedroom wall.
And some may not do much with it at all.

And that’s okay. ❤️

For those who want to go a little deeper, we also provide an age-appropriate devotional that goes along with the verse. It isn’t about giving kids all the answers—it’s about asking thoughtful, sometimes challenging questions that get them thinking about what the verse means, how it connects to their lives, and what they might do with it.

We believe faith is something to be explored, not pressured.

So we create the space, offer the opportunity, and let each kiddo decide how they want to engage.

Sometimes a verse that seems small in the moment ends up sticking with a kid long after they leave the ranch. And honestly, those are some of our favorite moments. 💛

Planting little seeds. Trusting God with the growth. 🌱🐴

10/23/2026

Join us on 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝗿𝗱 for a fun night of cow sorting, community, and supporting a great cause! 💛

We still have room for more teams on both nights!

🐮 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵: 12 spots available
🐮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝗿𝗱: 11 spots available

🌭 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁? We've got you covered! Grab a hot dog dinner at our ride-up "window" while on the back of your horse, then enjoy your meal while you wait for your turn to sort.

Come for the cow sorting, stay for the fun, and help us bring hope to teens in our community who are hurting. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲! 🐴💛

10/21/2026

Have you ever been greeted by someone who seemed absolutely delighted to see you?

That's exactly what happened when one of our youth arrived at the ranch and was met by Elliot, our very affectionate barn cat. He popped up onto the arena wall, meowing loudly for her attention, then leaned into her for one of his signature hugs — pressing his forehead against her, eyes closed, purring away. 🐱

There's something so special about being welcomed like that, like someone is genuinely happy you're there.

Watching this moment, one of our team members was reminded of the way God delights in each of our youth. She imagined God's love being expressed through Elliot's affection: a reminder that this young person is welcomed, seen, and deeply valued.

At Acres of Hope, we want every young person to experience that kind of love and belonging. Sometimes, those reminders come through meaningful relationships, time with the horses, or even a very affectionate barn cat. 💛

10/20/2026

One thing we love about welcoming new people to the ranch is watching their surprise when they learn that our youth get to help decide what they do during their sessions. 💛

It might seem like a small thing, but having a voice in those choices matters.

Many of the youth we serve don't always have the opportunity to make decisions for themselves. At the ranch, they get to share their ideas, explore their interests, and know that someone is listening.

Whether they're grooming a horse, making art, trying archery, or choosing something entirely different, moments like these help create spaces for youth to feel seen and heard.

And as that trust grows, so can their confidence. Sometimes, meaningful growth starts with something as simple as being asked, “What would you like to do today?” 🐴

10/10/2026

We’re always grateful for opportunities to share the heart behind Acres of Hope and to connect with others who care about the next generation!

Thank you, MAPS, for welcoming us to Donuts at the Dot and for your continued generosity and support of the youth and families we serve. We’re thankful to be part of such a caring community! 💛

10/03/2026

We’re so grateful to have Salem Health come alongside Acres of Hope and invest in the teens we serve! 🙌

Salem Health has been caring for our community for generations, with a vision of building a healthy, vibrant community right here in the Mid-Willamette Valley. We love seeing that commitment to community extend into the lives of local youth.

Through their sponsorship, Salem Health is helping provide direct support for our mentoring sessions with youth who are feeling hurt. Their investment helps create spaces where teens can build relationships, experience healing, grow in confidence, and discover hope — all at no cost to families.

We’re thankful for community partners like Salem Health who recognize that caring for our community also means investing in the young people who are part of its future. Thank you for partnering with us and helping make a difference in the lives of local teens! 🐴💛

09/28/2026

09/24/2026

It’s time to reveal the 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 of our Guess the Animal series! 🎉🐴🐾

So... did you finish with a perfect score? 👀

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁! 👇🏆

And that’s a wrap on 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹! 🎉 Thank you to everyone who played along, made guesses, and got to know some of our ranch animal friends a little better! 🤍

We hope you get the chance to come visit the ranch and 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗶 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻! 🐴🐶🐱🐰🤠

09/23/2026

👀 POV: You’re standing in the barn, and you pause for a moment to take it all in. ✨

Four sessions happening at once. 💚🤍💚🤍

Two young people finding their rhythm as they canter on Regalo and Kimber.

Another just beginning, learning and building trust one step at a time on Luna, our steady and trusted mare.

Another experiencing the ranch for the first time — taking a tour and then playing some yard games. And you watch as his session leader quietly prays for him, his eyes filling with tears. 💚

Nearby, a volunteer is feeding the horses, laughing as Stanley makes it very clear that he is not particularly enjoying his tie time. 😅

And then, off to the side, there’s a guardian laying in the yard, enjoying the sunshine, with Cabela, our resident dog greeter, laying right beside her. 🐾

And for a moment, you’re reminded that this is so much bigger than horses.

It’s about trust.
It’s about courage.
It’s about connection.
It’s about creating a space where young people can be seen, supported, and encouraged exactly where they are.

Sometimes you get the privilege of stepping back and simply witnessing it all.

And honestly?
I was in awe.

Four sessions. Four stories. So many little moments of growth happening all around us.

This is why we do what we do.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
— John 1:5

09/23/2026

🐴 ONE LAST ROUND! 🐾

We’ve had so much fun seeing your guesses over the past few weeks, so we couldn’t end our 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 series without one final challenge! 🎉

And this time, we’re making you work for it... 👀

𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝘇𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱-𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀. 𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀. 🤔

Think you can figure out the final round of who’s who? Drop your guesses in the comments! 👇

Let’s see who can finish with a perfect score! 🏆