We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie Allen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Whispering Angels Youth Ranch was founded to serve underprivileged children and their families that have witnessed hardship, abandonment and abuse.
The ranch is a Christian based ministry in which the horse chooses the child. We then match them with a mentor to form the perfect trio. The children attend as long as they need support and healing. This is an after school program that offers natural horsemanship, art, workshop, gardening and devotions each week.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My story is quite unique in the fact that I am working my calling at the ranch everyday. I actually donate 100% of my time to the non profit.
It was born through my hardship and testimony and I feel that if I ever took a salary, it could fail.
As a child, I found hope and promise through a horse and this came full circle into my adult life when I began rescuing the starved and neglected horses. This evolved in reaching children that needed to find hope, healing, love and acceptance. I did some training in Oregon at Crystal Peaks YR.
This was a pivotal moment that I realized that they neglected horses that had learned to trust again had so much to offer children that had experienced hardships.
I was on track with forming the nonprofit. However, after the trip to Oregon, I began to feel quite overwhelmed and denied this call. Two months later our home burnt to the ground and we lost all possessions. There were 3 things that we had left to our name. We had a barn and 3 horses. This got my attention, we actually sold the burned property and found a beautiful hilltop nestled at the foothills of the north Ga. mountains and the rest is history.
The non- profit was founded in October of 2014 and the community has always rallied around us with amazing support.
I want the world to know that we were all placed on this earth for a purpose. I feel that if this purpose aligns with God’s will it will flourish and your needs will be met. All we have to do is listen and put one foot in front of the other.
I would like to think that the ranch has saved and turned many lives around for the better providing hope, healing, love and acceptance.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had friends visiting, and Atlanta was the focus, I would go old school back to the places that I enjoyed growing up as a Ga. Girl.
Fernbank Science Center was always a favorite, The Atlanta Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Chastain Park for a little music then maybe a festival if the timing was right at Piedmont Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The ranch could not run successfully without the dedicated staff, amazing volunteer base and our faithful donors that choose to shoulder in our mission each year.

Website: https://www.whisperingangelsyouthranch.org

Facebook: Whispering Angels youth ranch

Other: Vimeo- Whispering Angels Youth Ranch

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.