The Maatrhorn Ranch will provide a transformational environment for autistic children, adolescents, adults and their families. Conceived as a "community of hope", Maatrhorn's welcoming adobe architecture, courtyards, vistas and uplifting, open spaces will create friendship and interaction. There will be classrooms for both individual and group teaching, vocational training, music, the arts, dining, and meditation which will provide an environment of caring. Daily interaction with Maatrhorn's living ranch will begin with a wake up call from the resident rooster and extends to hands-on connections with the horses, sheep, goats and other animals that make the ranch their home. Animal therapy and music therapy have proven to be very successful in reaching the needs of children and adults with Autism.
The ranch's traditional adobe architecture grows out of the site's land and history, with a thought of the native people who lived here long ago. Warm earth tones and native materials will blend seamlessly with the desert and establish a connection with the mountains. Harmonious colors, soft lines and the fragrance of the land will further shape this environment of shelter and comfort. The activity center courtyard will provide a sense of gathering with a spectacular view of historic Gun Sight Pass (shown in the distance in the photo below). Our wish is that visitors will remember the ranch and its way of touching the soul of those in need.
Beautiful sunsets and distant panoramic views of Green Valley and Tucson will be enjoyed from the central great room of the activity center, which will be the gathering place for residents and guests. The building will have multi-use rooms for art, music, reading and teaching that will provide a sense of belonging for those staying there. The dining room is supported by a full kitchen designed to accommodate "family-style" meals, as well as culinary training.
Casitas with two bedrooms, a full bathroom and a living room with high ceilings will provide comfortable accommodations for residents and visitors. The shaded porches of the Casitas are oriented to form smaller private courts with pedestrian links to the activity center. As the ranch grows, additional casitas will be added. The ranch's amenities reach into the landscape and include a corral and livestock stables for interaction with animals as well as an extensive system of walking and riding trails for exploration of the beautiful desert landscape that is the ranch. We hope to include in the design and construction the elements of "green" building, featuring water and energy conserving systems and environmentally friendly and sustainable building materials.
Our request is a simple one - we are asking you to help us get the MAATRhorn Ranch through its next phase so it can be the dream-maker for families touched by Autism. We thank you in advance for your tax-exempt contribution that will be a part of the margin of hope that will make this possible.