Offering hope for young men struggling with behavioral, mental and emotional health.
Rawhide’s community-based youth counseling provides a safe space for young men and women to talk about how they feel without fear of judgment.
Our youth and community job training programs lead to bright futures.
Your donations help transform young lives.
Get involved in the life-changing work that happens every day at Rawhide.
Since 1965, our mission has been one of belief.
Join a team committed to uplifting the lives of at-risk youth—your journey of making a difference starts here.
Since 1965, Rawhide has built on a foundation of love and compassion to bring life-changing help to struggling and at-risk youth. It all started with a calling to serve. And that same heart and dedication continues to drive Rawhide Youth Services every day.
John and Jan Gillespie met in second grade at a one-room schoolhouse near Appleton, Wisconsin. They married in 1957, and together they began to dream. Both John and Jan had hearts for service to others, and in 1965 their dream took shape—with the support of the Green Bay Packers’ star quarterback Bart Starr and his wife Cherry—as Rawhide Boys Ranch.
For decades, John and Jan continued to answer their calling to help at-risk young men heal, grow and transform their lives. Jan passed in 2017, yet her legacy lives on in John’s continued advocacy and the work Rawhide remains dedicated to every day.
In 1965, Bart Starr was at the top of his game. He was an elite NFL quarterback leading the Green Bay Packers to an impressive run of championships. But he also had a heart for helping those in need. So when the Gillespies approached Bart and his wife Cherry to share their vision for Rawhide, the Starrs quickly got behind the idea. The Starrs’ involvement brought instant credibility to Rawhide, and their generosity helped make its growth possible. Bart even raffled off his Super Bowl II MVP Corvette to complete the down payment to purchase Rawhide’s New London campus.
Bart and Cherry Starr have been wonderful role models, donors and voices for Rawhide, sharing our story, helping raise funds, visiting with the boys, and producing dozens of public service announcements for radio and TV. Their impact is felt in every corner of Rawhide. With the passing of his parents, Bart in 2019 and Cherry in 2023, Bart Jr. stays connected with our Youth and continues to be spokespersons for Rawhide.
Every year, the need remains great—and so does our commitment to meeting it. Today, we serve more than 750 boys and girls throughout Wisconsin with our residential and community-based counseling services. We combine state-of-the-art facilities with advanced, evidence-based therapies to help youth struggling with mental, emotional and behavioral health find healing. And as we build on the foundation of faith, hope and love built by the Gillespie and Starr families, we continue to expand our services to help equip even more at-risk youth to live healthy and successful lives.