side of the business and he loves teaching any child that is interested in the industry. Children learn to check female cows for pregnancy, artificially inseminate cattle and give vaccines. “We like to say we raise kids and cows,” said Matt Cleveland, chief development officer. “There’s a lot that goes into raising a child, whether it’s raising their standard of living, raising their prospects for a brighter future or raising their GPA.” Along with working on the ranch, the children have daily household chores, which rotate and are ageappropriate. The children help clean the house, do laundry, make beds and work on the grounds. An allowance is given to each child based on grades, behaviors and chores. They also learn how to cook, manage finances and other beneficial life skills. The ranch hosts events throughout the year to ensure the children can have the best experience possible. Events include anything from a pumpkin patch in October to an annual fundraising dinner. The Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch is funded through the donations and support of Arkansans. The money is used to continue providing children with a supportive environment to learn life skills and succeed after school. “A lot of people think you have to be wealthy to make an impact, but the ranch really appreciates all donations. We couldn’t do this without our small dollar donors just as much as our bigger donors,” said Cleveland. The ranch is raising children that can defy the odds of their situation. ARKANSAS GROWN 59 Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch
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