Drone shot of construction on Spring Lake Ranch Main House includes a crane lifting a roof frame onto the top of the building

Capital Campaign

2024-2026: Building to Meet the Need

HELP US FILL THE SAP BUCKET AND RAISE THE FINAL 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS!

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America is experiencing a mental health crisis. With rates of mental illness on the rise, there’s a shortage of treatment centers providing long-term results.

Spring Lake Ranch is building to meet the need for change. After almost 100 years in operation, we’re expanding our capacity and introducing a model of care that can be replicated nationwide.

About the Ranch

For over 90 years, Spring Lake Ranch has supported adults with mental health and substance use challenges. Our distinctive approach centers around work, community, and outdoor nature-based activities all with integrated clinical support. Spring Lake Ranch has helped over 5,000 adults find a sense of self-worth, purpose, and hope.

The Challenge

There’s a growing need for behavioral health services in America. A 2023 National Institute of Mental Health Survey reported that one in five adults struggled with a mental health issue and an estimated 14.6 million adults had a serious mental illness (SMI), including psychotic disorders and severe mood/anxiety disorders. Nearly half of young adults surveyed, age 18-25, experienced mental illness and/or substance use challenges in the previous year.

According to The Pew Charitable Trusts, America is experiencing a mental health crisis with stark increases in mental health risks (including a 52% increase in suicide among youth and young adults since 2000), a lack of care for people with SMIs, and rates of drug overdoses doubling since 2015. Importantly, Pew states that true “recovery requires a focus on the 3 P’s: people, place, and purpose” and a “care system that ensures social support, a safe and nurturing environment, and a reason or mission to recover.” This is exactly what we offer at Spring Lake Ranch.

What the Capital Campaign Will Accomplish

With your support, we intend to grow our client capacity and add a needed layer of programming to enhance long-term outcomes. The Transitional Living Program will enable us to house as many as twelve more residents for extended, less expensive stays. Transitional residents will have added independence along with support in finding work and preparing for their next steps, while still receiving individualized services such as medication management, meal preparation, and counseling.

Your contribution will also allow for necessary renovation projects at our Main House, gym, and farm. These upgrades are critical for sustaining clinical and work program functioning and ensuring our facilities are safe. Our goal is to set the stage for many more years of exceptional residential living at Spring Lake Ranch, and to meet the growing need for mental health services that society is experiencing today.

Project Budget and Naming Opportunities

Project Budget

Transitional Living Program – $10,000,000
Main House Expansion – $4,250,000
Gym Renovation – $1,250,000
Farm Relocation – $1,500,000
Sustainability Initiative – $750,000
Campaign Costs – $250,000
TOTAL FUNDRAISING NEEDS – $18,000,000

Naming Opportunities

Transitional Living Program Complex & Community Center – RESERVED
Farm Program Relocation – RESERVED
Main House Dining Hall – $500,000
Main House Kitchen – $500,000
Wellness & Activity Center – RESERVED
People’s Kitchen – RESERVED
Music Room – $150,000
Yoga Studio – $150,000
Workout Room – RESERVED

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Transitional Living Program & Community Center

A campus with twelve suites/apartments will be constructed between the existing farm and gym. Long-term residents ready for more independence but not quite ready to leave the Ranch will have their own space to learn skills and prepare for a successful future. An additional building will house a Community Center with a media lounge, industrial kitchen, and staff offices.

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Main House Renovation & Expansion

Work is already underway on a partial renovation of the beloved Main House. Improvements will include adjustments to meet code, an expanded kitchen and dining space, two staff apartments, and a new People’s Kitchen to be utilized by the Gardens Crew. The structure will be enlarged and updated, but the look and feel of the space will remain unchanged.

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Farm Program Barn Relocation & Upgrade

The entire Farm operation will be relocated and centralized. The current barn will be utilized for parking while a new clear-span barn, traditional barn, and chicken coop will be constructed further south, near the ballfield. This will allow for a larger, improved Farm operation, which is at the heart of our Therapeutic Work Program.

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Wellness & Activity Center

The existing gym will be completely renovated to include new areas for yoga, wellness activities, and music making. Additionally, while maintaining ample space for basketball, we’ll include new workout equipment, weights, and storage for gear. These improvements will meet the needs of residents with diverse interests and provide opportunities for alternative programming.

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Sustainability

Included in our construction will be a multi-faceted upgrade to facilities with three goals.

  • Improve conditions for residents in response to a changing climate.
  • Reduce our reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
  • Improve our functional and financial sustainability.

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Ways to give:

  1. Make your gift online.
  2. Mail a check to:
    Spring Lake Ranch
    1169 Spring Lake Rd
    Cuttingsville, VT 05738
    (be sure to put Capital Campaign in the check memo)
  3. To give by phone or make a gift of stock, contact Rose McCracken, rosem@springlakeranch.org, 802.772.8342
  4. To make a pledge, download the form below and mail or email it to Rose McCracken.

Pledge Form

For more information on the mental health crisis and the needs the Capital Campaign seeks to address, visit our Research Library.

Research Library

For questions, please call Rose McCracken, Director of Development & Communications, at 802.772.8342 or email rosem@springlakeranch.org.

A Special Thanks to Our Partners

Donors

Jim Alic & Jacalyn Diesenhouse | Eugene & Brenda Anastasio | Bob & Jennifer Banks | Linda & John Berryhill | Ludy Biddle | John & Linda Costa | Stephen & Ann Davis | Doolittle Family Foundation | Eugene Fleishman & Judith Elkin | Dana & Mark Foster | Marty Grasberger | Walter F. Harrison III | Karle Family | Annalise Lockhart | Sonja Lockhart | Susan & Len Mark | Margery & Ted Mayer| Rose & Kelly McCracken | Muffie & Sandy Milens | Chip & Susie Molloy | Mitchell Moss | Family of Bill O’Connor | Geoffrey Smith & Jean Crystal Gromer | Rachel Stark | Amy Sutton | Phyllis & Claude Tarbell | Clare & Jeremiah Thomas | Jonathon & Lucretia Wells | Michael & Phyllis Wells| Minta Wolfe | Sally & Bill Zoppo

*Thank you as well to our many donors who choose to remain anonymous.

Committees

Capital Campaign Committee

Rose McCracken, Chair | Dana Foster, Development Committee Chair | Brenda Anastasio | Ann Davis | Rachel Stark | Anna Sutton

Campaign Advisory Committee

Bob & Jennifer Banks | Walter Harrison, III | Susan & Len Mark | Ted & Margery Mayer | Sydney & Lesly Schachne | Michael & Phyllis Wells

Professionals

CARF Accredited: Spring Lake Ranch programs are CARF accredited. The CARF accreditation signals our commitment to continually improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community.

Spring Lake Ranch is a member of the American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA). ARTA members are dedicated to providing extraordinary care to adults with mental illness.