April 2026 Newsletter
Where to start… We’ve said it before, but taking a leap of faith with the Lord is both the most terrifying and exciting adventure you can go on.
Just over two years ago, this journey began quietly behind the scenes. We only went public with the vision for Cedar Refuge in October of 2025. Now, just six months later, we can honestly say what we’re witnessing feels like a miracle stacked on top of miracles. All of the late nights, frustrations, and “what ifs” from early on suddenly feel worth it. We know there are more ahead - but what a ride.
With that, we have some exciting updates to share!
What’s Been Happening
Last month, we had the opportunity to travel to Ohio and share the mission of Cedar Refuge face-to-face with our community there. We are so grateful to everyone who showed up and supported us - thank you. A special shoutout to Rachel Markley, The Grays, Chet & Kayla Jamison, Bennett Wellborn, and Mrs. B’s Catering for helping make the Chouse Event happen.
Our goal was to raise $75,000 by the end of March to demonstrate enough financial stability for us (Steven and Brandyn) to step into this work full-time. To raise the stakes, we had committed to stepping away from our other jobs on April 1st. When we returned home, we were still about $20,000 short of that goal.
When we checked the mail, we were shocked to find a $100,000 donation from an anonymous donor. (Thank you generous donor!)
We were honestly overwhelmed. Not only did it meet the need - it more than doubled it. Because of this and everyones generous donations, we’re excited to share that we officially stepped into Cedar Refuge full-time as of April 1st.
Since going public in October 2025, we have now raised over $200,000.
Fast Cedar Refuge Updates
We recently received an additional $10,000 gift from another generous donor - thank you!
We've had some very exciting developments regarding our desired refuge property(read the story below).
CDSS (California Department of Social Services) reached out to us, and we are now in early licensing conversations as we work to determine our path forward.
An individual has stepped up to take on CANS4KIDS and will now be running it on our behalf. This frees up time for us to focus on other key areas and is a meaningful step toward future sustainability.
We are exploring ways to begin serving children now - through prevention efforts or supportive services - while we continue building toward the residential program.
A Fun Refuge Property Update
While we were in Ohio, a local CA prayer team reached out and asked if they could come pray over the property we’ve long hoped could become Cedar Refuge...the would-be refuge.
We’ve had our eyes on this property for a few years, holding it loosely, knowing it could sell at any time. Still, we’ve felt like God led us to it, and we had a sense that this prayer gathering might be significant.
We scheduled a time to visit the property just a few days after returning to California. We met up with the prayer team, carpooled out of town, and stood among the tall evergreens and fresh air, praying and seeking the Lord together. The skies didn’t part, and we weren’t immediately handed a billion dollars - but it felt meaningful, and we left expectant to see what God might do.
Six days later, we had what we’re calling a divine encounter.
Steven struck up a spontaneous conversation with a man we'd never met and began sharing the vision for Cedar Refuge. About 45 minutes in, the man asked if we would need a large property. As the conversation unfolded, we discovered that his father was actually the original owner and had built the main house on the very property we had just been praying over.
“I know that property like the back of my hand,” he said. “When you go look at it with the realtor, let me know...I’ll come along and show you everything.”
What are the odds of that?!
He has no connection to the current owner, but moments like this feel incredibly encouraging - and like we’re heading in the right direction. We’ve experienced several moments like this since the beginning of this journey.
Ways to Get Involved
We’re continuing to build, and we could use some help:
• We're looking for interns who need to earn college credit and want to be part of building Cedar Refuge from the ground up
• We need to call every Foster Agency in CA for on the ground data collection - we are seeking volunteers willing to help us make phone calls
• A volunteer to help support our social media efforts
Email us at info@thecedarrefuge.org to get involved or visit our get involved page here.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your support, prayers, and encouragement truly mean more than we can express.
If anything here resonates with you, we would love to connect.
With gratitude,
Steven and Brandyn Gipe
Founders & Executive Directors