Haven Acres 2021 Flannel and Jacket Fundraiser

The founders of Haven Acres, Jason and Jenifer Heath, took in a teenage boy in 2002 that struggled with learning disabilities and mental health issues due to the abuse and neglect he had suffered as a child. The Heaths heard about a faith-based youth ranch in Oregon (@crystalpeaksyouthranch) that used horses to help bring healing to kids with these types of issues. When they searched for one nearby that could possibly assist the hurting teen they were raising, they were unable to find one in the area. The idea of someday running a similar ranch was conceived all those years ago and finally came to fruition in 2013.

Haven Acres started on a beautiful, wooded, 6-acre hobby farm in Burnsville, MN. The first year we saw eight kids and teens each week with four horses. Every year we doubled in participants attending until after just four years at the Burnsville location, we reached forty kids a week with only eight horses! It became very apparent that we would need to move to a larger property for the ministry and horses to thrive.

At the last second, but just on time, God provided a nearly 14-acre horse property in Hampton, MN, and we moved in on the coldest day of January 2017. This property not only has more land, but it also had a nice horse barn with a small indoor riding arena. The horses were thrilled to have more room and celebrated by running all over their new, snowy pasture!

In 2020 we received a large donation that was enough to cover the full cost of building a much needed second barn. We now use this barn to store hay and equipment, host volunteer meetings and events, and house an office for our staff to work.

We can now see sixty participants each week, we have seventeen amazing horses to partner alongside with, and we have been home to over thirty horses total. We have also been blessed to develop partnerships with a Christian outpatient treatment group and a nonprofit that works with immigrants!

We have known from day one that a ministry like Haven Acres could not be accomplished by our power, but by God alone. He has provided everything we need, from funding to volunteers, and there is no way it would be happening without Him.

Thank you for supporting us in this endeavor!