The Long Road Home Project An Honor Ride for Foster Care

TheLongRoadHomeProject.org

In April 2026, a small team of riders will travel on horseback across Arkansas—mile by earned mile—to the State Capitol. Not for spectacle. Not for attention. But to carry the voices of children in foster care, the families who said yes when it was costly, and the caseworkers carrying more than most people ever see.

This is an Honor Ride.
Honor for children who didn’t choose their road.
Honor for families who stepped in anyway.
Honor for caseworkers holding the line with too few resources and too much weight.

We ride horses because foster care is not fast.
It is slow. It is demanding. And it requires endurance.

We were able to get the full support and anticipation from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders as well as other high-profile state representatives. THEY AGREE, UNDERSTAND AND ADVOCATE HIGHLY OF THIS RIDE.

The Legacy Riders

Each rider carries personal history, responsibility, and resolve into this journey.

These riders are not guests on this road.
They are burden bearers.

The Truth — County by County

This ride passes through Arkansas counties where 1,634 children are currently living in foster care:

Benton County — 233 children
Washington County — 374 children
Franklin County — 50 children
Madison County — 44 children
Newton County — 10 children
Searcy County — 11 children
Van Buren County — 32 children
Conway County — 62 children
Faulkner County — 151 children
Pulaski County — 667 children

That’s not “over 600.”

That’s 1,634 children in the very counties our horses will cross.

These are not projections.
These are not estimates.
These are children living along this road today.

Why We’re Raising $10,000

We’re not raising money just to “have a ride.”

We’re raising money to do it right.

This is a multi-day ride across Arkansas — through several counties — with horses, support vehicles, public stops, and a final delivery of foster care stories at the State Capitol.

That takes real planning, real safety measures, and real care for the animals and people involved.

This funding makes sure the ride carries the weight it’s meant to carry.

Where the $10,000 Is Going

1. Horse Care & Welfare — ~40%

The horses are generously being provided, but caring for them properly is non-negotiable.

Funds help cover:

Farrier work and hoof care ($1,200)
Veterinary checks and emergency backup
Feed, electrolytes, and supplements
Tack maintenance and replacements

When you ride horses across the state, their health comes first. Always.

2. Safety, Logistics & Insurance — ~25%

Any ride covering hundreds of miles has to be organized and protected.

Funding helps with:

Fuel for support trucks and trailers
Route coordination and safety planning
Liability and equine insurance
Emergency contingency planning

This protects the riders, the horses, the counties we travel through, and the mission itself.

3. Support Crew & Operations — ~20%

A ride like this is never just the people in the saddle.

There is a crew behind the scenes making sure things run safely and smoothly.

Funding supports:

Radios and communication equipment
First-aid and safety supplies
Food and hydration for riders and crew
Support vehicle operations

You can’t cover hundreds of miles safely without a team keeping things moving.

4. Story & Documentation — ~10%

The purpose of this ride is to carry stories.

Funds help capture and share those stories through:

Photography and video
Story documentation from foster families and caseworkers
Final recap media after the ride

If the stories aren’t seen and heard, the mission stops at the trail.

5. Capitol Delivery & Final Day — ~5%

The final miles matter.

Funding helps with:

Coordinating the Capitol arrival
Preparing and presenting the Saddlebag Letters
Printed materials for legislators and leadership

When we arrive in Little Rock, the voices we carry need to be delivered with dignity and respect.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t about extravagance.

It’s about:

Protecting the horses
Protecting the riders and crew
Honoring the stories we carry
Making sure foster families, caseworkers, and children are represented with dignity

Excellence honors the children.

Cutting corners dishonors them.

Why It Matters

Because foster care doesn’t stop at county lines.

Because rural children’s stories don’t always get heard.

Because systems rarely move unless someone is willing to carry the weight.

You may never ride these miles.

But your support helps make sure the miles are carried with strength, safety, and honor.

Some roads are long for a reason.

This one is long because the issue is heavy.

And we’re carrying it the right way.

The Long Road Home Project

A Honor Trail Ride through Arkansas for Foster Care and Foster Families

Team Members