Pepper's Ranch Expands To Support Oklahoma Foster Children With 2 New Facilities

Pepper's Ranch, a foster care community in Guthrie, is expanding with the addition of two new facilities aimed at providing essential support for foster children and their families.

Pepper's Ranch, is a hidden sanctuary for foster children and their families. Here, they can live and grow together.

“We have these large homes that are perfect for teenagers. Their rooms are like studio apartments,” said Stefani Obiedo, a Foster Care Mother.

The ranch covers 240 acres and includes 20 foster homes. Stefani and her husband share one of these homes with four teens in foster car, a role they’ve enjoyed for the past eight years.

“When you’re asking families to take on 4-6-12 kids in a home you need someone to lean on,” said Ashley Hahn, Pepper's Ranch Executive Director.

Hahn says these new centers will build a stronger community.

“We're here to provide the extra supports, like mentoring, like tutoring and academic support, sensory spaces and counseling so these kids can have all the tools to survive,” said Hahn.

The centers will include a library, art, and music therapy rooms, a basketball court, and a culinary kitchen — essential resources for kids in the foster care system.

“With teenagers especially and kids too learning how to cook learning how to be safe and clean those aren’t the things we necessarily learn when you are going through trauma,” said Obiedo.

The new Founders Hall and Academic Center will be available for families to use 24/7.