Making Strides Youth Ranch

   In 2009, I, Mandy Toole, became inspired after picking up a book at a book store in Tennessee called Hope Rising by Kim Meeder.  I felt deep in my heart that if I was ever going to step out and do something, I wanted to step out and use horses to work with kids.  That dream was simmering in the background from that time forward.  I lost my job in the fall of 2010 and with some encouragement from family, decided to go back and finish my college degree.  My original intent was to get a Criminal Justice degree and focus on Juvenile Probation, but after my first class in that area, I understood that was not going to be the most effective way to reach these kids.  I continued with my degree and did my research methods paper on the use of animals (horses in particular) in correctional settings.  In 2015, I felt led to share my dream to work with at-risk youth and horses with Becky Davis from my church.  Our hearts and passion was mirrored in making this dream work and we convinced her husband, Clinton, to take a day trip to Healing Hands Youth Ranch in Waleska, GA.  After that trip, Clinton was on board with the vision!  We began to pray for a ranch name and after many weeks, Making Strides Youth Ranch came into being!  We prayed over property and 12 acres was obtained by Clinton and Becky in January of 2016.  We attended a Similar Ministries Conference at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in April of 2016 and actually got to meet Kim and Troy Meeder and left with valuable information on how to proceed!  We weathered many set backs concerning the property as well as facing slow progress at times.  We had property cleared, grass planted, fencing put up and a shelter built and then prayed for a horse to be donated so we could move Jordan to the ranch.  On September 5, 2020, we were able to move Jordan and Diamond to the ranch and they have been invaluable to the ministry!  On January 6, 2022, Flicka was added to the herd and has quickly become a session favorite!  We will be looking to work with the parents/guardians, Juvenile Judge and programs in our area to begin working with at-risk youth!  We look forward to Making A Difference, One Step At A Time!