There are countless children in our area who have no positive adult role models. Boys are particularly vulnerable to drugs, gangs and criminal activities. By the time these boys enter middle school, many are already victims of their society and participating in destructive behavior.

In the midst of what appears to be insurmountable challenges, I am here to say…there is hope. Gary Randle, former Fort Worth Police officer, is the founder of H.O.P.E. Farms (Helping Other People Excel), a retreat for boys that offers enrichment and life skills to ensure an empowered life. He appeared this morning on Good Morning Texas and shared how H.O.P.E. Farms is making a difference, one child at a time.

The statistics are startling. 90% of all homeless and runaway children (US Department of Health and Human Services) and 85% of youth sitting in juvenile detention come from fatherless homes (Texas Department of Corrections). As a police officer, Gary Randle saw how this destructive pattern repeated itself and witnessed children initially victimized by their environment, ultimately participate in these dangerous behaviors. Once a kid wound up in prison, opportunities ended and lives were cut short as the cycle continued.

Gary recognized that if these kids were reached before middle-school age, they had a shot at a brighter future. H.O.P.E. Farms provides services to boys between the ages of 5 and 7 and teaches them life skills that form the foundation for moral leadership in their families and their communities. According to their website, Hope Farms offers “a variety of activities for the boys that address spirit (Character First, Bible Study & Prayer), mind (phonics-based reading, language, computers, math & critical thinking) and body (conditioning, nutritious meals & organized athletic activities).”

They also work with the child’s mother or teacher in order to ensure accountability throughout the day. As Gary put it, in a single-family scenario, H.O.P.E. Farms enters thus creating a nuclear family system. During the interview, Gary said,
“You know, they say, it takes a village to raise a child. I disagree; I think it takes a family.”

H.O.P.E. Farms is in the business of providing a family and in the process provides hope.

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