ABCOFLASH (American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, Southwest and Hawaii) Region congregations have promised to underwrite the major costs of building the twelfth house at Rainbow Acres.

Rainbow Acres is a Christian residential community where adults with developmental disabilities are given loving care and provided a holistic approach to living to their fullest potential. Days are filled with worship, work crews and activities for both learning and recreation, and lives are filled with joy and purpose.

Oikos House completes the site plan for the 27-acre property occupied by Rainbow Acres when their Homes With Heart campaign was launched fifteen years ago. Recently a generous donation allowed for the purchase of adjoining acreage, making a total of 50 acres in Camp Verde, Arizona dedicated to this worthwhile not-for-profit endeavor.

Oikos House, like the other eleven homes, will provide private bedrooms for 10 residents, called Ranchers, as well as a Caregiver suite and a two-bedroom apartment for use by staff and others. Oikos is Greek for “home” or “place of shelter”, an appropriate name for a residence filled with individuals among the most neglected and misunderstood in our society. Rainbow Acres offers a safe community where families may find peace of mind, knowing their loved one is cared for and nurtured to provide growth to his/her fullest potential.

Walls are being framed on Oikos House as this article is being written. Ranchers enjoy watching the home take shape and imagining the new friends who will occupy it and join them in their many activities on campus.

Although many individuals and churches contribute to Rainbow Acres on a regular basis, ABCOFLASH is the first region of American Baptist Churches USA to make a major financial commitment of this magnitude. The estimated cost of the completed structure is $450,000.

There are still many opportunities for gifts to finish, furnish and decorate Oikos House, and provide the various items needed to make any house into a comfortable home. To contact Rainbow Acres, visit www.rainbowacres.com or call 928-567-5231.