Meet the Founder
Tom and Bonnie Sanford founded Project PATCH in 1984 in response to their passion to redeem young people by rescuing them from themselves and from painful situations. They recognized a need to provide Christian placement alternatives for troubled teens and wanted to fill that need.
Prior to founding Project PATCH, Tom served as a pastor for 15 years, during which time he negotiated with juvenile courts to provide alternatives to detention for numerous young people. Tom also served as a search pilot for close to 20 years for the Civil Air Patrol. Through the years, Tom and Bonnie have opened their own home to over 100 foster youth. However, it wasn't long before they realized the need was greater than a pastoral family could provide from their home. Rather than quit, their passion to help hurting and troubled teens fueled their desire to expand this ministry.
In his position as founder and co-director of Project PATCH, Tom is a frequent guest speaker, traveling extensively to share about PATCH. He is sought after to share on issues of parenting, family issues, and developing non-profit organizations. He is also the author of two books, and he and Bonnie are the parents of two grown children, a son and a daughter. They are also grandparents to four adorable children. Tom's hobbies have included flying small aircraft, traveling, restoring classic cars, meeting new people, and telling jokes. Tom and Bonnie live in Sequim, Washington.