In Richland Center there is a house—a big house—with cement steps that ascend from the street to the front porch, big wooden doors and large windows cut into its face. The house could belong to a couple with some dogs and jobs somewhere downtown or retirees with canoes packed in the garage, but in this case it belongs to a different kind of family: the Forward Home for Boys.

“I refer to myself as a foster parent because, in my heart, that’s what I am,” David Fretz, Pastor for the Richland Baptist Temple and founder of the Forward Home for Boys, said. “But it’s not a licensed foster home. It’s a licensed group home.” Fretz established the first Forward Home in Twin Bluffs, WI in 2015 after more than a decade as a foster parent. A second location in Fretz’s hometown followed thereafter.

“I chose this place to raise my own kids, and I chose this place to raise foster kids,” Fretz said. “This is such a rich area; the beauty of it.”

The Forward Home (which Fretz calls a “youth home”) in Richland Center can host between 12-13 youths as young as 13 and as old as 21 if they are still receiving academic services. Each child that comes to Fretz has a need, whether it is medical or behavioral.

In the Forward Home the boys have treatment plans to address their individual needs based on their necessary medical care, age, at-risk needs and a myriad of other factors that will shape their lives. Fretz has a team of highly-trained staff to work with each of the boys on their plans.

“You’re not an employee, you’re not just a number here,” Fretz said, “but your heart is to fostering kids.”

The boys get the chance to work with an on-staff mechanic, farmers with work to be done and an employment mentor to learn how to integrate into a workforce. Life-skills, soft skills and interpersonal skills can be addressed by Fretz’s program. “One of the big things is the opportunity to learn new skills.”

The work program and skills development play into one of Fretz’s most important values: community service.

At the start of the winter season Fretz saw a post on social media from the Richland Center Fire Department showcasing the town’s fire hydrants buried under the snow. A hydrant, according to the Fire Department, needs three feet clear on each side to be used effectively.

“I just thought if there was a fire I envision those firemen trying to get to the hydrant with the hoses. They’re going to have to dig it out themselves,” Fretz recalled. That was another opportunity that presented itself to the boys. “It was something that was needed, something we could commit to immediately every week—two hours a week we could make that commitment.” The boys have given at least two hours of their time each week to clearing hydrants throughout town as a way to provide safety for their community. It also gives them the chance to earn money for their hard work. “Kids that don’t have money tend to need money and figure out ways to get it, so let’s give them an opportunity, figure out ways they can serve the community too.”

For Fretz, the message is the boys want to be part of their town and their neighborhood, so they’re making an open invitation.

“It’s not about a gift, money or even a thank you. It’s, ‘you’re part of the community,’” Fretz said. “If you need a hand, our hand is here; if you need a heart, our heart is here. These youths will prove it to you.”