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Who
are we and how did we get started?
El Ranchito is the dream of long-time Valencia County
residents Mike & Kathy Mechenbier, a successful grass roots ranching
and farming family. The Mechenbiers have also been active philanthropic
members of their community. In 1992 they established Los Niños
Inc., a charitable organization, which provided monetary and in-kind
support to a variety of underprivileged children and families. Through
this experience, they recognized a need for more adoptive homes to place
the growing population of children in temporary foster home or institutional
environments. As they quickly realized, there will never be enough adoptive
homes for these children, especially sibling groups which are often
separated as only one may become adopted, the others left in foster
care. When the idea for El Ranchito de los Niños was born, the
Mechenbiers donated over one million dollars to fund the establishment
of the home. Kathy spent over a year researching how to best serve the
children in need of a permanent home, as well as all other details of
the home and program. She was extremely thorough, visiting orphanages and similar homes
nationwide. From these visits she selected the "best of the best" to use
at El Ranchito de los Niņos.
What
is El Ranchito de los Niños?
El Ranchito is a non-denominational, long-term permanent
home for children whose families are unable to care for them. Our home
provides a safe, loving environment where 16 children (focusing on sibling
groups), ages 0-18 can thrive in a supportive, family farm setting.
Allowing sibling groups to remain together signifies our commitment
to family. The goal is to provide a stable home in which children may
grow, be provided for, and be unconditionally loved and supported
through adulthood. Education, personal responsibility and charity to others
guide us as we strive to provide a successful alternative to temporary
foster care.
Why
El Ranchito de los Niños?
Children need a permanent stable home where they are
loved unconditionally. El Ranchito helps to fill an ever-increasing
gap between children who need such a home and homes available to welcome
these youngsters. While we all recognize that a home with two loving
parents is the goal, the reality often falls short, far short for too many
children. We are attempting to change the way society cares for children
without parents by offering them a permanent home as opposed to temporary foster
homes or institutional placements. We hope to become successful in providing
the pilot model of a unique alternative to foster care, for others across
the country to implement in their communities as well. The ultimate
goal is to offer as many children as possible a home of their own
in which to grow, rescuing them from a childhood lacking in stability and
love. An additional goal is to be the only separation of a child from
their family until the family can be reunited.
Where
is the home located?
The home is located on 26 acres of land in the Tomé
area of Valencia County, 30 minutes south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The residence is over 7,000 square feet complete with handicapped accessible
bedrooms/bathrooms, several living/common areas and a library. A playground,
barns and corrals, animals of all kinds, gardens, cornfields, and an
orchard surround the home.
Eligibility
All children and sibling groups, ages 0-18, are considered
for admission to the home. Our preference is for an entire sibling group
to be placed in the home. We do not discriminate against any child based
on age, gender, race, national origin, religion or disability. All applicants
are evaluated by a screening committee in order to determine if our
home is the correct placement for them, as well as the home being a
good match for them.
How
is the home funded?
The home does not receive funding from any County,
City, State or Federal entities. The home is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit
organization funded by donations made from private sources including
individuals, churches, civic groups, businesses, corporations and foundations.
Who
is the home licensed by and how is the home governed?
The home is licensed by the State of New Mexico, Children,
Youth
and Families Department (CYFD). The home is also certified by the New
Mexico Christian Child Care Association. Standards and guidelines for
both are adhered to and monitored annually. The home is governed by a
volunteer Board of Directors who approves policy and procedure, oversees
the financial aspects of the home, and participates in development and
fund-raising efforts on behalf of the home.
How
does El Ranchito Operate?
With the 24-hour care for El Ranchito children provided
by four well-educated and trained adults who serve as full-time, live-in houseparents,
we are able to provide a stable home and family environment. The children
are awakened each morning, tucked in at night, cared for while sick, and even picked
up or dropped off from soccer practice by the same houseparents each
and everyday. With a large core of
volunteers to support the houseparents, we truly are a community home. Each
child assumes responsibility for various tasks required to keep the
home running smoothly (i.e. cleaning, dishwashing, table setting, etc.)
Each child is expected to keep his/her room clean and tidy.
Additional responsibilities at the home may include animal care, landscaping,
gardening, general maintenance, helping with meal preparation, laundry,
etc. Education, personal responsibility and growth as well as charitable
giving to others are the guideline and basis for how the children are
raised as outlined below.
- Education
As we feel strongly that education is the key to the future success
of our children, we emphasize its importance to all of our children.
El Ranchito de los Niños' house parents work closely with
the local schools to be certain that each child's educational needs
are being met. Tutoring is provided to those needing special help
and we make every effort to tailor each child's educational plan
to their needs. After our children graduate from high school, all
efforts are made to ensure that they pursue post-secondary or vocational
education, depending on their individual goals, talents, desires
and dreams.
- Spiritual
Life
Although our houseparents are of various faiths, the home is non-denominational. To respect and preserve the
individual heritage of our children, El Ranchito de los Niños
supports each child in their desire to practice their individual
beliefs. In order for our children to grow in faith, we encourage
each child to attend religious services on a weekly basis and encourage
additional involvement with church youth activities. Additionally,
we educate and inform our children on the history of religion and
the many practicing faiths. For this endeavor, we enlist community
members and other resources available.
- Personal
Growth
In addition to teaching responsibility in family living through
chores, El Ranchito hopes to offer many activities to our children.
These include 4-H, Boy/Girl Scouts or other youth groups, horseback
riding, team/individual sporting activities, arts, music or dance,
woodworking, computer/technology skills development, crafts, cooking
and baking, cultural education and development through family trips
to local museums, theater and other places of interest. Our children
are also encouraged to participate in school activities such as
band, sports and drama. Whatever talents surface and requests are
made, we do our best to provide the outlet for developing those
talents and dreams. As our houseparents are primarily women, we do recognize
the need for the presence of positive male influences and we address
that need with each child through contact with an existing male
family member, a "big brother" or other community resources
that suit the child's needs.
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