Lucerne Valley’s River's Edge Ranch receives financial support from county officials

The River's Edge Ranch in Lucerne Valley, known as a “Place for Second Chances,” will receive thousands of dollars of support from San Bernardino County.

Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez said that he, along with Chair Dawn Rowe, and Vice Chair Paul Cook, have pledged a total of $100,000 to help the nonprofit continue their mission of helping those in need.

“We believe in the power of second chances and are committed to helping those who need it most,” Armendarez said.

He explained that River's Edge Ranch is a "safe haven" for men facing drug addiction, homelessness, crime, or alcoholism.

After visiting the ranch earlier this month, Armendarez said he discovered that the organization uses a multi-phase approach that effectively integrates manual labor, animal-assisted therapy, service to others, faith, and mentoring support to restore and transform many lives.

“I was able to tour the ranch alongside members from San Bernardino County’s Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Community Development and Housing, and the Office of Homeless Services,” Armendarez said.

He added that the ranch plays a big part in giving hope and purpose to these individuals. Through animal therapy, residents care for and connect with animals, learning responsibility and compassion.

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“They also help out in the community by serving meals at local shelters and growing spiritually through church and Bible study,” Armendarez said. “These activities teach them the value of giving back and helping others.”

After completing the program at the ranch, individuals move on to two more phases of support where they continue to live in a caring environment while receiving job training, educational opportunities, and the tools they need to find meaningful work, Armendarez said.

More information on the River’s Edge Ranch can be found online at theriversedgeranch.org .

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Lucerne Valley’s River's Edge Ranch receives financial support from county officials