Our History
In 1987, Rancho Feliz began with an idea: to improve lives on both sides of the border. The work started in Agua Prieta, Mexico, meeting essential needs for abandoned children and the elderly while giving volunteers the opportunity to serve and find greater purpose.
Over time, the mission evolved from meeting immediate needs to creating lasting opportunity. Today, Rancho Feliz invests in education, housing, and community support—not as charity, but through Reciprocal Giving, where those who receive also give back.
For nearly four decades, thousands of volunteers have crossed the border to serve alongside their neighbors. They come to make a difference in Agua Prieta and often discover the experience changes their lives, too.
The Reciprocal Giving Cycle
Rancho Feliz is built on a simple belief. The best way to improve our own lives is to improve the lives of others.
We call it Reciprocal Giving. Volunteers come to serve, but in the process, they gain perspective, connection, and purpose. Families gain access to education, housing, and opportunities that can change the course of their lives.
This is not about handouts or creating dependency. It is about participation, and responsibility, and creating conditions where people can move forward with dignity.
Those who receive are also expected to give back, creating an exchange that strengthens everyone involved.
How It Works
- Families receive food in exchange for recyclable materials—turning assistance into participation while helping clean the community.
- Families receiving a Highly-Johansen home make affordable monthly payments over five years, building ownership, responsibility, and long-term stability.
- Scholarship students and their families contribute through community service and a symbolic payment, making education a shared commitment rather than a handout.
Everyone participates. Everyone contributes. And dignity remains at the center of the exchange.
Our Areas of Impact
Rancho Feliz focuses on four areas that support long-term stability and shared responsibility. These pillars reflect what we have learned through decades of hands-on work in Agua Prieta.
Who We Are
Rancho Feliz ignites purpose through hands-on service and reciprocal giving, uniting volunteers with families in Agua Prieta, Mexico. Together, we expand education, build homes, and meet urgent needs while creating cross-border partnerships and lasting change. We don’t build walls—we build dignity.
