B E N ’S R A N C H FO U N DAT I O N HELPING STRUGGLING TEENS
Ben McVey spent time at a ranch in Wyoming which helped his struggles with mental health.
Ben’s Ranch Foundation is named after Ben McVey, who loved horses and was helped by time spent with them. Ben’s Ranch Foundation Founder Brose McVey has become an advocate for teens and their families, even testifying before an Indiana General Assembly committee. Ben’s Ranch Foundation internships involve a variety of animals and occur at numerous host farms, stables and ranches.
non-profit spotlight By: Kate Shepherd
Ben’s Ranch Foundation holds an annual Sporting Clays Event and Barbecue.
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When Ben McVey was about 14, he began to show symptoms of serious emotional problems. At first, his parents thought it was typical teenage angst. Not Teens who take part in Ben’s Ranch long afterward, though, he was Foundation internships bond with diagnosed with bipolar disorder. animals and experience the healing benefits of nature and the sense of By the time he was a freshman purpose that comes from work. in a Central Indiana high school, he was in complete crisis. He couldn’t get out of bed; couldn’t handle schoolwork; was at constant war with his parents and siblings; and was angry, violent, and resentful. One day, Ben’s counselor told his parents, “It’s a shame he isn’t growing up on a farm. He needs to live in a very quiet, remote, isolated, gentle environment, where he can feel safe and be removed from the sources of stress around him.” Ben loved horses and to raise his spirits, the family traveled to Wyoming to visit a remote ranch where Ben’s favorite mare had family roots. Ben seemed to thrive on the trip. After returning, Ben’s father picked up the phone to ask the Wyoming family if they needed a ranch hand. It was a last-ditch attempt to try to do what the counselor suggested. The ranch family agreed to help and host Ben. That led to an 18-month adventure that made a positive impact on Ben’s life. His stay on the ranch and his time working with horses seemed to completely reset him, restore his self-confidence and renew his interest in life. When Ben returned home, he earned his high school diploma, got a job, and started attending night classes at a community college. Sadly, Ben died in 2015 at the age of 24 from an accidental overdose – ending his 10 years of suffering from bipolar disorder. To honor his memory, and leverage the healing power of animals and nature to assist other struggling teens, Ben’s father, well-known businessman Brose McVey, took his pain and grief and founded Ben’s Ranch Foundation in 2015. The nonprofit helps give other kids the peace that Ben found on that Wyoming ranch. The organization has grown steadily since it became operational in 2017. Ben’s Ranch partners with stables, farms, and equestrian facilities around Central Indiana to connect struggling teens with paid internships. McVey says the internships give the kids direction, purpose and a feeling of accomplishment – just like Ben experienced. “We are not a medical or therapy program,” said McVey. “But we provide valuable complementary assistance for teens struggling. Study after study shows that nature has a powerful effect on mental health and well-being. Many of the families we serve come to us when they are out of options and don’t know where to turn. They are grateful to have another helpful option that engages the kids’ senses physically and emotionally.”
