In 1966, the sheriffs of Alabama founded a residential program for at-risk boys to provide long-term care for abandoned, abused and neglected children. This home, the Alabama Sheriffs Boys Ranch, began as a one-house Ranch in rural Dallas County then became the Alabama Sheriffs Boys and Girls Ranches to currently the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches with four Ranches statewide providing Christian, family-style homes for both boys and girls. 

The sheriffs are actively involved with the youth in many capacities including referring children for placement, spearheading fund-raising events, and serving on the Ranch Board of Trustees. Their original motto “It’s easier to build boys and girls than to repair men and women” is still the driving force behind the current program.

The Youth Ranches is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of sheriffs and community leaders throughout the state. The budget is raised primarily through tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations, fund-raising events, grants and bequests.  For more information on referring a child, employment opportunities, or tax-deductible donations, please go to www.sheriffsranch.org.

Click the link below to go to the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches website.

Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches