Cedar Ridge Childrens Home and School Inc

You can help us to continue making a positive difference one life at a time by giving to Cedar Ridge to cover costs that have increased due to Covid 19.

Cedar Ridge is experiencing an increase in overtime, food costs and supplies due to Covid 19.  Since the schools were closed, our residents have been on campus 24/7  and as such we have to staff the cottages around the clock.  The extra shift during school days is not covered in our operating budget nor is the additional supply and food costs experienced during this time period. Your gifts will go towards covering that cost.  And to give you an idea of what we do at Cedar Ridge, let us tell you a story about one of our residents.

When one first meets Clifton, they see a tall, good-looking, cheerful young man full of natural curiosity and a desire to learn.  As one gets to know Clifton, it is evident that he has overcome some great difficulties to achieve success in his life. Clifton initially came to Cedar Ridge as in Therapeutic Group Home in our Residential Program.  Clifton’s first year was very difficult. Many of the behaviors you would see in the typical teenager boy were not part of him as he was diagnosed with Autism. Clifton faces challenges in the most important arenas of life. Social cues and boundaries (the complex behaviors that we all learn when dealing with people, e.g., how close you stand near a person when talking, things that most would consider private, etc.), speech prosody (i.e. the normal or typical give and take in a two way conversation), social etiquette even table manners, were lacking in Clifton. As a result, he faces a lot of difficulty in understanding the ‘hidden curriculum’ at both the home and school. This includes the unspoken and unwritten rules and communication of values that are necessary for successful completion of one’s formal education. Clifton has also a speech impediment that hinders communication. The Faith Cottage team developed a plan to address his bio-social educational needs for daily living. This was not an easy task because it required anticipating what could go wrong in nearly every social situation and then teaching him the correct response. His disorder complicated this task because one cannot assume that he knows even simple things until he can show it. For example he had never seen a shower with only 1 faucet that controlled both the hot and cold water. Because of this he was not able to regulate the water temperature, and because of his disorder he never asked about it, but assumed this was the way it should be all the time. The Cedar Ridge School (CRS) staff also developed a behavior plan that addressed the ‘hidden curriculum’. In addition, Clifton was provided speech therapy to allow for clearer and more fluid communication. The small classrooms at CRS benefitted Clifton because they have provided both the structure he needs as well as individual attention from teachers and staff. Clifton attended CRS for 4 years, and despite his disability, he has accomplished much in his time here as he always challenged himself to do better. He has been successful in his academic classes and completed his Student Service Learning hours and is on track to graduate. With a lot of individual work, Clifton was able to learn many skills and react appropriately in public. His hard work paid off and he was finally able to transition to a foster home and a more “normalized” setting. Clifton is one of many that the staff at Cedar Ridge has taken the time and effort to invest in and work with to help meet their full potential no matter their situation.

In a different arena our Radio Station, WCRH 90.5 The Compass, also strives to help listeners of all ages to meet their full potential by reflecting Christ’s love through positive inspirational teaching and music.  During our Sharathon, we receive countless calls citing how WCRH has been an uplifting and important part of our listener’s daily lives. We also receive many notes in the mail during the year stating how WCRH has blessed their lives at opportune times. Recently we heard from a lady that had moved from the area but returned.  She stated “I finally am able to listen to your radio broadcast again after too many years. I am thrilled to enjoy and worship and be fed and uplifted once again.”

Because of reduced payments from the state and the ever-wavering economy, please know that your prayers and your donations are vital for us to continue making a positive difference one life at a time.