The vision for Circle Ranch evolved from a desperate need for the children in rural Northeast Georgia who have been abandoned or have suffered trauma and must be removed from their homes in our primary service area. Our primary service area will be DFCS Region 5. The Counties within this service area are Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton a
nd Putnam. Our secondary service area will be DFCS Region 7 consisting of the counties of Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond Taliaferro, Warren, Washington and Wilkes. According to DFCS we presently have 700 children from Region 5 in foster care. In the last few years DFCS Region 5 has lost over 43% of its foster homes and 39% of the children who must be removed from their homes must be transported to facilities on the other side of the state where there is a vacancy. Region 5 has only one private facility which houses 13 children. At present Greene County does not have any foster homes for these children. DFCS simply does not have enough options for alternative housing for children who are in need within our communities. Children who must be removed from their homes or are abandoned suffer great trauma because of circumstances not of their doing. When these children must be transported hundreds of miles away they must also leave their friends, change schools and adjust to a new family, thus adding even more trauma in their young life. Scripture tells us in Mark 9:36-37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
