Photos: Echoing Hope Ranch
Echoing Hope Ranch gives young men with autism supportive environment in Hereford
Direct service provider Jamie Wahl, right, and several young men herd their goats in the contained area around a small pond at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. The ranch is currently the home of several young autistic men. The facility provides a day program for as many as seven visitors as well as five full-time residents. It is a place where autistic teens and adults can experience a supportive environment in an agrarian setting.
A couple of direct care providers lead a group into the garden to harvest some green beans and peppers at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. They plan to pickle the vegetables and sell them at the local farmer's market. The ranch is currently the home of several young autistic men.
Daniel Feuerhelm, 22, pauses to examine a green bean he is harvesting at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. The green beans are going to be pickled and sold at the local farmer's market in Bisbee. It is a place where autistic teens and adults can experience a supportive environment in an agrarian setting.
With the San Pedro River as a backdrop, the young men head back after picking up a small amount of green beans and some peppers from their garden, the young men return to the main building at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. The ranch is currently the home of several young autistic men. The facility provides a day program for as many as seven visitors as well as five full-time residents. It is a place where autistic teens and adults can experience a supportive environment in an agrarian setting.
Direct service provider Jamie Wahl leads several of the young men around the pond at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. They were herding their goats around the area which is safely contained with a fence.
Direct service provider Jamie Wahl, kneeling left, hands some freshly-picked pomegranates to Jonathan Townsend, 20, and Jesus Rubio, 21, at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz., which is currently the home of several young autistic men. Along with being around three goats, 10 chickens and a rooster, the young men harvest vegetables and create crafts to sell at the Bisbee farmer's market.
To ward off the many insects in the area, Marla Guerrero, middle, applies bug spray on the neck of John Thompson, 20, while Daniel Feuerhelm, 22, watches at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz.
A scare crow stands guard over the chicken coup near the garden at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz.
After harvesting green beans and peppers, some of the young men return to the main building which is used for office space and where many of the day's inside activities take place at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. The ranch is currently the home of several young autistic men.
Direct service provider Jamie Wahl tries to coax Joe Brown, 20, into eating some freshly-picked pomegranates while they are in the kitchen at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz., which is currently the home of several young autistic men.
In the kitchen, direct service providers Jesse Davisson, second left and Jeffrey York, seated middle, discuss ways to display the green beans in the jars which they plan to sell at the local farmer's market in Bisbee. Meahwhile, Joe Brown, seated left, and Jesus Rubio break up the green beans before placing them inside the jars as Marla Guerrero, far right, gives them guidance at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz.
Some of the arts and crafts items created by the young men is taken to be sold at the local farmer's market in Bisbee at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz.
Cory Williams, 23, finds a comfortable spot on the floor where he can read a book at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. He enjoys reading books but he especially loves to read magazines. The ranch is currently the home of several young autistic men.
Billy Ledford, with Can-Do Construction from nearby Sierra Vista, applies a coat of paint on the wall of a newly remodeled bathroom at Echoing Hope Ranch, in Hereford, Ariz. Previously, the bathtub was removed and the toilet was moved in its place. The flooring also had to be painstakingly removed and a closet was made into a shower. Remodeling the ranch houses was necessary to bring it up to standards.