Kleos Children's Community - New Perspectives

Klamath Falls, Oregon
Gordon Hankins, Founder/ Executive Director
541-783-2220
info@kleos.org
www.kleos.org

Kleos Children's Community is a faith-based, residential childcare facility, licensed as a Foster Care Agency by the State of Oregon. The program opened in 1989, by its founder and Executive Director, Gordon Hankins and his wife Vicki. Kleos accepts children of all ages with placement occurring in one of two ways: privately or by the State of Oregon. Children placed at Kleos are from "fractured families, families destroyed, dissolved or devastated by drugs or by parents who are incapable of coping with the responsibility of child rearing and/or parents who are incarcerated or absent without leave."

Kleos is located on 108 acres, with several homes that are managed and run by 24-hour a day, "house parents" who live with the children. The sense of community contributes greatly to the family life at Kleos, where chores are assigned, limits are placed and standards are held high. Meals are shared together as a family, with one meal a day prepared in the home to provide a "family meal-time." Breakfast and lunch are served in the community-dining hall. Currently, the number of children living per home is limited to seven.

In the center of the ranch, a large building houses the Chapel, Recreation Center and Riversbend Academy, the on-site school at Kleos which is accredited by the state of Oregon as an alternative school. Riversbend splits into preschool, Kindergarten, 1st-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grades. Within and between these groups, the older students are given the opportunity to assist the younger children with their academics. This promotes the notion of serving others and teaches the excitement of learning.

The ranch also consists of forestland, pastures for the animals, a barn and a marshland bird reserve. The ball field, volleyball court, playground, pool and recreation center provide the children with outdoor activities and fun. Children also have the opportunity to travel into Klamath Falls to go bowling, swimming, ice-skating, to the driving range, the YMCA pool or a local basketball court.

KLEOS CHILDREN'S COMMUNITYNew Perspectives

KLEOS CHILDREN'S COMMUNITY
New Perspectives