Zachary Kiwanis Club members welcomed Heritage Ranch representative Amy Horn to the group’s most recent meeting, Wednesday, Aug. 25. As Program and Community Relations Director, Horn spent an hour answering questions and discussing the history, mission and future of Heritage Ranch, a nonprofit organization founded in 2003.

Heritage Ranch is the brainchild of Vicki Ellis, the organization’s executive director whose dream of opening a residential program for troubled youth is closer than ever before. After years of searching for the perfect piece of property to accommodate the program’s various needs, the group has settled on a 52-acre site located at 20090 Tucker Road.

In June, the Baton Rouge Metro Council voted 8 - 3 to rezone the property from rural to Planned Unit Development, allowing Heritage Ranch to operate as a Christian children’s home.

Initially, many Zachary residents opposed the Tucker Road location; however, no signs of tension were evident at Wednesday’s meeting.

Heritage Ranch plans to close on the property in November after launching a Capital Campaign to raise $1.8 million, said Horn.

The organization, modeled after a successful program in Georgia, hopes to open in 2012. Participation in the program is voluntary, and the location will eventually house 60 boys and girls, aged 8 - 18, battling a personal or family crisis.

“We’re not about a judge telling a child, ‘you’re mandated to go live in this house,’” said Horn. “Most [kids] will come from private referrals of social workers and from schools, churches and different organizations.”

During the program’s first three years, Heritage Ranch plans to start by housing six boys ranging in age from 13 to 17. A husband and wife couple will live in the house with the boys.

Children chosen to live at Heritage Ranch will attend Northeast schools. Only families living within a 90 mile radius will be considered for the program.

Horn said that in order for the children’s lives to improve, it is important for families be involved in the Heritage Ranch process.

“We set the 90 mile radius because we do require the families to come pick up their child every other weekend as well as come every other week for family counseling sessions,” she said.

According to Horn, the organization anticipates about a 90 percent family reunification rate.

With around 70 percent of the group’s funding coming from individuals, Heritage Ranch must raise $20 million over the next 20 years to meet current goals, said Horn. A sliding scale based on ability will be used to determine payment from actual program participants.

In order to be admitted to Heritage Ranch, all youth must have an IQ no lower than 80 and be able to enroll in public school. Children with a history of violent behavior or current chemical dependencies may not participate in the program.

To learn more about Heritage Ranch, go to www.hrbr.org.