Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation

Lessons I learned at the Ranch:

The hard things only prepare you for the harder ones.
There aren’t bad people, only bad choices.
Being strong is nothing without hope.  
--Aubry, former resident

Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has been serving children and families in the name of Christ since 1952. The two comments above are only a few of the words we've received from our former residents and family members.

Our professional staff use Trauma Informed Care to attend to more than 100 children ages 10-18 served daily in our four psychiatric residential treatment programs located in Fargo, Minot and Bismarck, North Dakota.

Trauma has changed our children's lives forever. They may have experienced abuse or neglect, they may be struggling with addiction, some have issues related to Autism, and others have lost loved ones or perhaps witnessed violence. All these events in a life can change how our children view the world and change how their brain processes everything around them.

Our staff consists of a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapists, clinical directors, wellness coordinators, nurses, residential treatment advisers, and a Chaplain and Spiritual Life staff who serve the children 24/7. Dakota Memorial School is our private education center, located on all campuses. It is led by a superintendent, principals and special-education-licensed instructors and accredited by NCA CASI.

Our programs are accredited through CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities.

Our Spiritual Life program is voluntary for the children. The Ranch is a Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and an affiliated Social Ministry Organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is a Ministry Partner of the Lutheran Congregations for Mission in Christ and a founding member of Lutheran Services in America.

You can learn much more about Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch by visiting www.dakotaranch.org, or visiting us on social media at these sites:

www.twitter.com/@DBGR52

www.youtube.com/DBGR1952

www.facebook.com/dakotaranch1952, and www.facebook.com/DBGRThriftStores

Blog:  www.dbgr.areavoices.com

I don’t know what happened to my Tim, but I can tell you this: before he came to the Ranch he was the bane of our family. Now that he’s back he has become its strength.--Tim’s mother