The Lord led Jack and Anne Snavely, founders of Alpha, through many circumstances, to children's ministry. When they were in their mid-30s, they followed God's prompting to establish a Christian home in Kansas for at-risk, needy, and homeless children in the early 1970s. They donated 5 acres of their own Kansas farm property in the country on which to build a 7 bedroom house (Alpha House) for children in need. They began receiving children in 1972 in that house. Later an additional 165 acres of wooded, hilly land including some pasture land, which Alpha bordered on 3 sides, was purchased for expansion.

Children are placed at Alpha due to many types of problems including past or ongoing abuse, homelessness, neglect, death in the family, delinquency, academic difficulty, behavioral problems resulting from broken or dysfunctional homes, poverty, family incarceration, substance abuse, temporary shelter needs, and etc. The array of issues and needs that the children may have to deal with in their young lives can seem endless. Usually Alpha will have six to eight children to love unconditionally and care for in each on-site residence at a time, depending on the individual situations involved.

The children have been placed mostly by parents, relatives, guardians, juvenile officers, and judges. Those in need have heard about the ministry through word of mouth or through churches, friends, or groups who have become informed about it. Alpha Christian Children's Home has welcomed and nurtured over 160 children since its inception in 1972.

Living at the Alpha Christian Children's Home represents to these children a chance to heal; correct past mistakes; experience a Christian family's love & security; learn to respect one another; share in household responsibilities as a family, learning how to do laundry, cook, mow the lawn, etc.; gain a solid education; learn how to keep one's actions, goals, and accomplishments disciplined; and learn how a life with Christ as Savior and Lord will be full of blessing and purpose.

In 1984, Alpha's board of directors saw the need to establish a school with individual-based curriculum for the children at Alpha. A couple of years of attendance at a private school with the School of Tomorrow curriculum (out of Lewisville, TX) proved that the children, who were dealing with such a variety of problems, tended to excel and improve very well under this individual-based curriculum which is also Bible-based. The curriculum also supported the principles of character being taught in the home, reinforcing a different way of thinking for these children who needed to see safety, support, love, learning, and a Savior in their lives. Alpha began a private school using School of Tomorrow curriculum, also known as Accelerated Christian Education. Currently Wanda Rodgers is teaching in Alpha's school.

In the mid-1980s Alpha's board began to look forward and plan for future expansion as the land purchases were paid off. Construction on our two-story Multi-purpose Building began. This building contains a central pantry, storage areas, school room facilities, the central office, and a shop area for vehicle & farm equipment repair and maintenance. This structure was a large undertaking and is still a work in progress, although it is nearing completion at this time. The school was moved from the Alpha House basement into the Multi-purpose building in the Fall of 1997.

Jack and Anne Snavely administrated the ministry with the Lord's guidance since its establishment in 1972. They served as parents, maintained the property, and promoted the ministry to interested churches, groups, and individuals as well. Jack and Anne retired from parenting in 1998 due to health limitations, and from active administration in 2005 after 33 years of dedicated service at Alpha. They continue to volunteer with the ministry as they are able.

Michelle Kincaid, a daughter of the Snavelys, was named Executive Director in 2005. Mrs. Kincaid grew up at Alpha from age 2, went away for an education, and then returned in 1991 to serve daily for the Lord through the office and school areas of the ministry. She has dedicated her life to children who have experienced great adversity in their lives, and who are in need of love and a secure, Christian home.

A used double-wide trailer, the Faith House, was added for staff and/or children in the 1990s. Our school teacher, Mrs. Rodgers, moved into this residence last year after it was refurbished.

Alpha has purchased a new house, the Hope House, to be used as a home for children at Alpha in 2009.

The Alpha House residence is being remodeled by volunteers (water supply replacement, replacement of original carpet bedrooms, bathroom fixture & flooring replacements, etc.), after having sheltered 130+ children in need over its 35 year history. Bryan & Melinda Skaggs are currently parenting children in the Alpha House residence.

We are currently campaigning for additional monthly funding to benefit opening our doors to a second family for six to eight additional children and their daily family needs at Alpha, which would bring our total capacity for children served to 16. We need your help in order to be able to offer a home to these additional children. You can become a partner with us to provide for children in crisis by offering a monthly gift – whatever your budget might allow. Your monthly gift for our second family will help when combined with others' gifts to meet their daily needs and get the 2nd family started in 2009! You can be a part of this mission expansion which will perpetually reach so many little ones for Christ, instill a fruitful education in each one, and provide a loving, stable home and healthful meals to a great number of young lives in crisis over years to come.

Alpha Christian Church, School, & Ranch, Inc. dba Alpha Christian Children's Home and School is a non-profit organization under the IRS Code section 501(c)(3). The ministry does have a six member Board of Directors, and voluntarily submits records to an independent CPA for annual audits.

Alpha Christian Children's Home is located just outside of Perry, Kansas, and does not receive any state or federal funding for the children's care so that Christ can remain the center of our mission. Therefore, the ministry relies on your donations and volunteer labor to maintain and build on the 170 acres of property and meet the needs of the children who live here. There are two houses for children on the property and one staff house to maintain, as well as the Multi-purpose Building at this time.

Donations of food and other items which one would use in the home, office, or school settings are always needed and welcome. Anyone donating items or services to Alpha receives a tax-deductible receipt for the value of the item(s) donated. Alpha is located East of Perry, Kansas, on US Hwy 24 to US Hwy 59 Junction; then 2 miles North on US Hwy 59 to 27th Street (gravel); then 1 mile East on 27th Street to the main Alpha Driveway (marked by four mail boxes) which is 1/4 mile long on the South side of 27th Street.