Shepherd’s Fold Ranch Outreach Programs
An important part of the Shepherd’s Fold Ranch mission is its tithing. “We accomplish this in many and various ways,” says Clay Staires, Executive Director. “Every year we make our facility available for organizations such as Youth and Heart and the Eugene Fields Elementary School. And, to further our desire to give back, we are working with the Tulsa Housing Authority and Country Club Gardens, a Tulsa Housing Authority community in north Tulsa, to provide a week of day camp at their community center. This is EXCITING! When this works and it’s successful, we will have taken an SFR summer camp experience ON THE ROAD!! THIS WILL BE HUGE!” Some facts about our community outreach efforts:
Country Club Gardens is a community of 800 families; 98% are single mom homes and the community center employs two full time social workers with whom Staires has been developing this exciting new venture.
Youth At Heart is a leader in providing programs in education, recreation and social development to youth living in Tulsa. Since 1976, it has provided youth living in Tulsa’s socio-economically challenged neighborhoods a variety of after-school and summer programs that include tutoring, character training, youth mentoring, health and fitness training, sports leagues, career exploration, community service and summer camp. Each year, these programs reach over 3,000 children and teens, giving them an effective alternative to idleness, vandalism, drug use and gang activities that so often plague their communities.
Eugene Fields Foundation Director Jeremy Martin, said “Wow! What a Summer [2009]! The EF Foundation helped send over 125 students to summer camp at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch and Camp Loughridge. The kids had a blast! Special thanks to “One in the Spirit” Sunday School Class, FUMC, EDS, and Victory Christian Center for donating funds, swimsuits, and transportation.”
The Eugene Field Foundation was started in 2005 with the main goal of loving and supporting the children of the Eugene Field Elementary community located at 23rd and SW Blvd. in Tulsa, OK.
Surrounded by three housing projects that are unfortunately plagued with poverty, violence, and addiction, the EF Foundation simply strives to love unconditionally all that pass through the doors of Eugene Field Elementary. Our goals are accomplished with hugs, laughter, encouragement, prayer, clothing, food, sports, arts gifts, education, and friendship.
