Four decades of giving kids a chance: The incredible story of Alabama’s Big Oak Ranch

John Croyle interacts with kids at Big Oak Ranch
John Croyle interacting with kids at Big Oak Ranch

John Croyle and his wife, Tee, have seen their dream of building the best children’s home in America grow into three separate facilities in Northeast Alabama: Big Oak Boys’ Ranch in Gadsden, Big Oak Girls’ Ranch in Springville, and Westbrook Christian School, Inc. in Rainbow City.

Their mission has been simple:

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of house we lived in, the kind of car we drove or how much money we had in the bank, but the world may be different because you and I were important in the life of a child.”

The impact has been profound.

Big Oak Ranch is celebrating its 40-year anniversary this year and have released a video (below) highlighting the ministry’s first four decades in existence, and previewing the decades of ministry to come.

Ordinary Alabamians doing extraordinary things that will make a difference in eternity.

For more information visit bigoak.org.


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