- Home
- Help
- About
- Our Mission
- Future Plans
- The Ranch Staff
Meet The Wildwood Hills Ranch Staff
- The Horses
- Character Counts
- Board Members
- FAQ
Who Is Wildwood Hills Ranch? Wildwood Hills Ranch is a 400-acre non-profit facility, set in the scenic hills of Madison County, just south of Des Moines. Founded in 2001, the ranch exists to transform lives and strengthen communities by providing healing, hope, and God’s unconditional love to children and youth at-risk. Free summer camp and year-round retreats are offered to at-risk children ages 8 -18. Kids are immersed in a fun, safe environment where character, leadership, and teamwork are modeled and taught. The ranch is an ideal setting for children to learn new life skills and gain the confidence necessary to transcend current impoverished, abused, or neglected environments. Campers enjoy first-class facilities and recreational activities including horseback riding, water sports, team building, arts and crafts and much more. Most importantly, children are offered hope and love while being challenged to grow into people of integrity who contribute to the communities they live in. Who Does WWHR Serve? The children who participate in Ranch programs are currently suffering or are at-risk of physical and/or sexual abuse; neglect; parental drug and alcohol abuse; gang violence; instability in family relationships; absence of one or both parents; repeated or permanent out of home…
- Videos From the Ranch
[hdvideo playlistid=1 width=640] [videohome].
- Programs & Events
- Events Calendar
- Faith and Family Night
- Cedar Valley – Wild About the Child
- Wild About the Child Events
- Summer Program
- Bounceback Retreats
In addition to our summer camp programming, Bounceback Retreats are held throughout the school year. Youth are invited back to the Ranch to continue practicing their newly learned skills during these 1 to 2 day retreats. They provide the youth opportunities to build upon the positive summer experiences they have had at Wildwood Hills Ranch. Bouncebacks are also a time to reconnect with and encourage the children. They are another building block in our efforts to help children lay a better foundation to grow upon.
- Contact
Future Plans: Phase One
We are currently in Phase I of our long term plan which includes offering free transportation and camp experiences to at-risk children who will benefit from a positive change of environment and a program that focuses on character, leadership, and teamwork.
In addition, free weekend events are offered in the fall, winter, and spring.
These “Bounce Back” events provide us the opportunity to continue to offer encouragement, strengthen trust, and build upon the positive summer experiences the kids have had.
Devoted camp counselors assist our youth as they participate in activities. Children are surrounded by positive role models while being immersed in activities that are affirmative, instructional, and fun.
With the help of The Institute for Character Development at Drake University; we’ve incorporated the Character Counts® initiative into every aspect of our programming.
Most importantly, our kids discover their futures can be filled with much more hope and promise than their current circumstances deem possible and they learn new skills to help them approach life’s challenges from a different perspective.
Find Us Online