It began in the heart of John Blend, a man who carried both faith and vision. His story was shaped on a dairy farm in upstate New York, where he learned the value of discipline and the beauty of serving others. The rhythm of farm life taught him that growth takes patience and that nothing thrives without care.
Years later, during a formative summer trip to Mexico City, John visited an orphanage unlike any he had ever seen. Children who had been abandoned were crafting jewelry with their toes because they were born without arms. They laughed, they worked, and they lived with dignity in circumstances that most would call unbearable. That moment pierced John’s soul. He left Mexico with a conviction that his life had to be about creating safe places for children who had none. He would later describe it as God planting a burden he could never shake.
Faith became the lens through which John viewed the rest of his life. He often told friends that prayer guided his steps and that every decision about Goshen was a response to something he felt God asking of him. That mixture of conviction and humility defined his leadership long before there was land or buildings.
When John and his wife, Connie, purchased farmland in Cherokee County, they envisioned more than just a home. They saw a sanctuary. In 1999, Goshen Valley Boys Ranch opened, built on principles of faith, care, and the unwavering belief that every child deserves more than survival. John called it providential. Neighbors became allies, churches rallied, and leaders in Canton shared a common belief in the mission. From the very beginning, Goshen was about restoring what was lost in a child’s life through stability, love, and community.
Today, his son Zach carries that same torch. What began with one boy has grown into a family of ministries that now defines hope for Cherokee County family units.
When Zach was young, he admired his father’s work but never imagined himself in the same role. After college, he started a career in consulting, charting a different path. Then came a mission trip to Nicaragua. Immersed in a new culture and surrounded by children who longed for security, Zach discovered that service was not just an obligation. It was a calling.
Returning home, he confessed his uncertainty to his father. John gave him words that would redirect his life: “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and find someone to serve.” That counsel became Zach’s compass.
Knowing the weight of his father’s legacy, Zach prepared carefully. He pursued seminary and business studies, determined to blend heart and skill. In 2015, at the age of 31, he stepped into the role of CEO. The work has been demanding, but profoundly rewarding.
Under Zach’s leadership, Goshen Valley grew. Goshen New Beginnings launched to serve young adults aging out of foster care. These were teenagers suddenly thrust into adulthood without support. Goshen gave them mentors, housing, and hope. Zach often recalls the story of a young man named Geoff, who arrived at the ranch after losing both his mother and grandmother. He carried grief far too heavy for his years, but with steady guidance, he graduated, joined the Marine Corps, and later became a national strongman champion. Today, he returns to encourage the next generation, showing them that broken beginnings do not define the future.
The organization expanded further with Goshen Homes, created to confront one of foster care’s greatest tragedies: siblings being torn apart. Through this program, families trained by Goshen welcomed entire sibling groups under one roof. Zach remembers a group of three sisters who had been split across three different counties. Within weeks of being placed in a foster home in Goshen, the sisters were reunited. Their reunion was both tearful and joyous, and it was life-altering. “Family should never be a casualty of circumstance,” Zach explains.
Cherokee County embraced the mission. Churches sent volunteers. Businesses provided resources. Civic leaders offered support. What began as a small ranch evolved into a movement that reshaped how the community cared for its most vulnerable members. Zach often says that partnerships at Goshen are never transactional. They are transformational. “When people serve, their hearts change alongside the children’s lives.”
One of those volunteers is Susan, a retired teacher from Canton. She came to Goshen expecting to help with tutoring but found herself transformed by the boys she mentored. “They gave me more than I ever gave them,” she shares. “I thought I was showing up for them, but they were showing me hope in its purest form.” Stories like hers illustrate the dual power of Goshen’s work: changing the lives of children while softening and shaping the hearts of adults in the community.
The impact of Goshen Valley is best measured by the lives it touches, yet the numbers tell a powerful story. Since 1999, over 1,500 children and families have been impacted. The staff has grown to over 117. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteers pour in their time, skills, and compassion.
The Family Resource Center in Canton represents Goshen’s newest chapter. Here, therapists and counselors work with families before crises escalate. Prevention is now as important as intervention. Every child who avoids the foster system means one more family made whole. Zach never forgets the soil in which this mission took root. “This county is extraordinary,” he reflects. “From churches and schools to government and business, people rally together in a way that still amazes me.” His gratitude for his father runs just as deep. John’s courage to follow a whisper from God laid the foundation. Zach’s leadership ensures the vision continues to expand. Together, their story has become part of the fabric of Cherokee County. Gratitude for a vision. Gratitude for a community. Gratitude for the children who now step into futures once thought impossible.
Looking ahead, Zach is focused on building more. More counseling. More foster families. More opportunities for young adults stepping into independence. The goal is not only to respond to crises, but to prevent them. He still treasures simple moments with his father. Recently, Zach smiled as he recalled driving John to an appointment. “The roles are reversing, but the relationship is the same. I get to give back to the man who gave everything for me.”
Cherokee County continues to shape Goshen Valley, and Goshen Valley continues to shape Cherokee County. The impact is generational. Families are preserved. Children rise into leadership. Volunteers become advocates. The safe pasture John once imagined is now a living legacy.
Goshen Valley is not a monument to the past. It is a movement toward the future, built on gratitude, faith, and a spirit of service.
“This county is extraordinary. Churches, schools, businesses, and families all rally to provide children with the safe environment they deserve. Family should never be a casualty of circumstance. We fight to keep siblings together.”
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself and find someone to serve. That is where purpose and transformation begin.” - Zach's pivotal moment