Capital Campaign
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Summary
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The Need
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About Us
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Contact Us
Project Sanctuary has a goal to acquire a dedicated ranch to operate a Therapeutic Retreat Center specifically for military families. Project Sanctuary is actively going through the due diligence process for a property in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, that is currently operating as a retreat center. The Project Sanctuary board has approved a contract pending all due diligence meets the needs of Project Sanctuary for the purchase of this project.
The Capital Campaign will be run in two different stages; Phase One focused on ranch acquisition with a goal of $1,855,000. We have currently raised $1,645,000 toward the Phase 1 goal as of August 2023.
Phase Two will cover the needed renovations and new construction on the property. A goal will be set in the coming months with a public launch date of late Summer/early Fall 2023.
Project Sanctuary treats the whole military family understanding that the veteran is not the only person experiencing service-related challenges. Spouses often have higher rates of depression, experience frequent job changes (if they are able to work) and can become caregivers if the service member experiences an injury – physical or invisible. Military children change schools every two/three years, experience anxiety, and lack the consistency of having both parents around due to deployments.
Since 2007, Project Sanctuary has partnered with retreat centers across the country to host therapeutic retreats for military families. We dedicate our mission to serving at-risk military families who are living with the effects of their military service. Of the servicemen and women Project Sanctuary has served over the past year, 79% self-reported an injury/medical condition and 72% self-reported PTSD and/or TBI. A therapeutic environment is critical when providing services to veterans and their families, allowing for a safe space where healing and growth can occur.
Project Sanctuary has experienced many challenges utilizing our current model, to include:
Year over year increasing prices of food and lodging, typically increasing every year at most locations.
Lack of family style lodging versus bunk bed style lodging (Project Sanctuary is not able to utilize bunk bed style lodging for the families we serve).
Seasonal availability of locations is especially difficult in the summer months as retreat centers operate their own programming.
Retreat centers scheduling of other groups simultaneously with Project Sanctuary, causing challenges to the therapeutic environment needed for our programs or availability of needed family lodges.
Cleaning/disinfecting protocols created by partner site, versus managed by Project Sanctuary team ensuring the safety of families.
Appropriate meeting space to have dedicated space for youth, teens, and adults to participate in their programs.
Onsite recreation so we do not need to transfer families to various locations.
Of most significance to families is the lodging. When participating in a therapeutic retreat, families are there to work on pieces of their lives that they are struggling with individually and as a family. Many retreat centers’ lodging accommodations have characteristics of barracks, do not allow separate rooms for the parents away from children, or are in close proximity to other families. Lodging is a critical element of a therapeutic retreat center.
Meeting space design and availability requirements can also make it difficult to find suitable retreat locations. We need separate spaces for the youth (birth to age 12) that has restrooms close to ensure staff/volunteers are able to abide by the Project Sanctuary Child Protection Policy; space for teens (13+) that includes a comfortable set-up where conversations can take place; and additional space for adults where couches are available and an area where they can be comfortable during their carefully-crafted workshops. Most retreat centers have rooms that are set up like classrooms or a dining area that needs to be converted to a space to meet and there is little privacy.
Colorado is home to six military bases and 8.4% of the adult population are veterans, making Colorado the 19th most popular state with veterans (https://www.thecentersquare.com). In the past two years, more than 200 participants call the great state of Colorado home. Project Sanctuary is proud of our commitment serving active-duty service members, veterans, and their families within Colorado.
Project Sanctuary’s program is built on a foundation of first addressing the critical mental health needs of the service member, the spouse/partner, and children in the family as a method to stabilize the family dynamic, better preparing the family unit for ongoing program education. Retreat workshops focus on communication skills, conflict resolution, financial literacy, and living with Post Traumatic Stress. Our program consists of two parts: Family Support and Therapeutic Retreats.
Our programs are run by a professional team that includes a registered nurse (retired), licensed professional counselors, medical social workers, certified therapeutic recreation specialists, peer mentors, and ~125 trained volunteers, many of whom are veterans and “graduates” of our program. Moreover, our team is staffed by culturally competent civilians, veterans, and military family members. Our collaborative partnerships with veteran-serving organizations, healthcare providers, foundations, and businesses help us provide cutting-edge solutions and a continuum of care for at-risk military families. Project Sanctuary’s program team focuses on counseling, education, suicide prevention, and therapeutic recreation to help families achieve success.
Led by a diverse and highly qualified board of directors, Project Sanctuary benefits from their unique backgrounds and expertise to help our organization remain fiscally responsible and strategically plan for growth to meet the needs of military families across the country. Project Sanctuary’s board includes business owners, attorneys, entrepreneurs, veterans, and financial management experts. Most recently, Project Sanctuary added an associate professor in recreation therapy with a deep understanding of data-driven program excellence. Additionally, we are fortunate to have board members who themselves have personal experience running and maintaining large ranch properties within Colorado.
Download the Capital Campaign Form Here
For questions or to get involved with the Project Sanctuary Capital Campaign please contact Heather or Carrie.
Heather Ehle
Founder & CEO
heather@projectsanctuary.us
Carrie Bair-Norwood
Chief Development Officer
carrie@projectsanctuary.us
719.201.9373
Phase One
Ranch Acquisition:
$1,855,000


Raised to Date (as of August 2023):
$1,645,000
Snow Wolf Lodge Insight
- 42 acres in Archuleta County Colorado surrounded by the San Juan National Forest
- Main Lodge includes commercial kitchen & dining, five private bedrooms, game room, meeting space and fireside lounge
- Guest lodge includes 15 private rooms and central meeting area
- 2 Duplex Cabins
- 4 RV full hook up locations
- Stand-alone office / storage
- Poll Barn & Additional Outbuildings
- 8 miles southeast of Pagosa Springs, CO
Phase Two
Ranch Renovation & New Construction:
Estimated Goal pending
Needs of Phase Two are in the planning stages with a goal to launch the fundraising campaign late summer / early Fall 2023.


Key elements include:
- Main lodge renovations to include added program space and additional staff lodging.
- Family lodging renovations for additional family accommodations.
- Renovate existing cabin to ADA accessible cabin
- Add RV’s / Cabins to 4 existing RV hookup locations
- New playground
- Additional information, costs and plans will be available soon.
Naming Opportunities
Annual Impact
By acquiring a new retreat center, we would be able to help a minimum of 1,000 unique individuals, or approximately 250 families annually through therapeutic retreats. An additional 16 retreats would be held at designated partner sites across the country, adding another 160 families per year in addition to those served at our new retreat center in Colorado.
- 24 Retreats Annually (10 -12 Families Per Retreat)
- Reduced annual operating costs
- Improved Program Quality
- Confirmed availability with known accessibility for all families
- Dedicated space for youth AND adult programming
- Access for other non-profits to utilize space outside of Project Sanctuary programming
“This retreat has helped our family build a closer bond. During the retreat our children learned to identify and communicate their emotions better. As parents we learned to be the person they need. Also, my husband and I learned a lot during the relationship class and the PTS class. We will definitely be using the skills and tools we learned for the rest of our lives. We also got to meet our military families and watch our children bond was great. I would recommend this retreat to anyone listening.” Jessica, Army veteran, Snow Mountain Ranch retreat
—Padilla Family, Retreat 100

