amarillo chamber of commerce - HPN Books

CAL FARLEY’SFew people leave as extraordinary a legacyas did Cal Farley. His belief that boys needed “ashirttail to hang on to” is an enduring principlethat has changed the lives of over 9,000 children.Today, seventy-two years after America’sfirst Boys Ranch was founded, Cal Farley’s,which consists of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, CalFarley’s Girlstown, U.S.A., and five Cal Farley’sFamily Resource Centers, continues to fulfillthat legacy. Boys Ranch began in 1939 whenrancher Julian Bivins donated 120 acres atthe town site of Old Tascosa thirty-six milesnorthwest of Amarillo, Texas. Through theyears many generous donors haveshared Cal Farley’s belief thattroubled children should have asecond chance, and the original120-acre site has expanded in sizeand has become a nurturingcommunity for boys and girls.Boys Ranch has its own independentschool district, postoffice, fire department, medicalfacilities, bank, and chapel. Theself-sufficient community is hometo children from all over theUnited States who need a safe,nurturing, structured environment.Boys and girls ages five toeighteen live in group homes withresident house parents and havethe support of teachers, coaches,case workers, and work mentors.Boys Ranch Independent SchoolDistrict (BRISD) is one of the fewdistricts its size in the state that isable to offer such a wide variety ofsports and activities.Cal Farley’s is funded solely through thegenerosity of private donations, and theorganization does not charge for its servicesnor does it seek any government funding.The only exception is BRISD, which receivesapproximately half of its funding from thestate of Texas (similar to any other independentschool district) while the other half isprovided by Cal Farley’s as a single-payertax base.Cal Farley’s Girlstown, U.S.A., locatedforty-five miles west of Lubbock nearWhiteface, Texas, became affiliated withCal Farley’s in 1987. It is a residentialTransitional Living Program (TLP) thatprovides a vital safety net for girls who areat risk of not receiving their high schooleducation. Girls from sixteen to nineteenyears of age who take part in the TLPleave with a high school diploma, driver’slicense, and savings as well as with anunderstanding of social and financialresponsibility. They are either gainfullyemployed or enrolled in a vocationalprogram, college program, or the militarywhen they complete the program.Cal Farley’s Family Resource Centers helpfamilies who come to Cal Farley’s forassistance. The five centers, located inAmarillo, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Austin provide criticalsupport to families as well as offering informationand referral services. The centerswork with families before children are inplacement and then during placement. Theyalso work toward getting families backtogether and functioning properly whenchildren return home.AMARILLO - Faces, Places & Open Spaces192