It is our commitment

to offer the best possible services and support

now and in the future

It all began with an idea

Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (COVR) was the vision of founder Alison Perry after six years of working as a trauma therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Alison began working for the Veteran Affairs (VA) two years after her brother Todd deployed for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 as an Apache helicopter pilot. Todd returned home from his deployment, switched to Blackhawks, and served two more tours as a MEDEVAC pilot. Alison’s grandfather was a career AF C-130 pilot and instructor who flew in Korea and Vietnam, and her nephew served in the Marine Corps and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Alison worked as a trauma therapist at the Portland VA Medical Center for three years, and then worked at the Bend VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. Prior to Alison’s transfer to Central Oregon she had a case that was the spark of the Veterans’ Ranch.

Where We’ve Been

2014 - COVR established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

2015 - Officially opened the doors of our 19-acre ranch to the veteran community of Central Oregon

2016 - Remodeled ranch house to state ADA compliance to qualify as an adult foster home

2017 - Ranch house licensed with Oregon’s Department of Human Services as a Level II adult foster home (license currently inactive) 

2017 - Established first greenhouse

2019 - Oregon Department of Agriculture awards COVR the two-year Specialty Crop Block Grant to convert greenhouse into a hydroponics system, develop a specialty crop (lettuce) business, and offer educational courses to veterans

2019 - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awards COVR grant to establish an outdoor greenhouse or “hoop house

2020 - Began partnering with High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) to secure the USDA Beginner Farmer Rancher Grant, a 3-year grant to provide free workshops and 1:1 mentoring to veterans in farming and ranching

2020 - Started free community garden plots for veterans and their families in hoop house and pasture “Victory Garden”

2020 - Established first veteran peer support groups for combat veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) veterans, and Operations Iraq Freedom (Iraq) veterans

2021 - Awarded 5-year NRCS contract to rehabilitate 12-acre pasture and upgrade irrigation

2021-2022 - Staffing and budget double, secured financing with community lender Craft3, and took full ownership of 19-acre property

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