Meet Our Founder

Tom (1943 – 2024) 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 opened their 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 for helping hurting and troubled teens fueled their desire to expand this ministry.

In his position as founder of Project Patch, Tom was a frequent guest speaker, traveling extensively to share about Patch. He was sought after to share on issues of parenting, family issues, and developing non-profit organizations. He authored two books. 

He and Bonnie are the parents of two grown children, a son and a daughter. They are also grandparents to five teens. Tom’s hobbies included flying small aircraft, traveling, restoring classic cars, meeting new people, and telling jokes. Tom and Bonnie lived in Sequim, Washington.

Tom’s Books

Wounded Healer:

This is the story of how an inwardly wounded boy grew up to become a healer of thousands of like-wounded boys and girls through the ministry of Project PATCH. The story of Project PATCH is a collection of miracles and of God’s power to take what man means for evil and turn it to good.

This is the story of Tom Sanford…and of Project PATCH.

“Wounded Healer” is the powerful story of Tom Sandford’s dedication to overcoming his abusive childhood in order to found Project Patch and help thousands of other hurting teens.

Tom Sanford’s life growing up under the abusive hand of a father who used rage to manipulate and control others was anything but idyllic. His red eyes and swollen lips from beatings at home earned him cruel nicknames at school. But the physical bruises on his body were no match for the wounds to his spirit.

How this inwardly wounded boy group up to be coming a healer of thousands of like-wounded teens through the ministry of Project Patch is the stuff of miracles. And this book tells the story.

From Sanford’s own troubled past to the heartbreaking stories of the children he and his wife, Bonnie, have rescued, “Wounded Healer” is an emotional journey of faith, struggle, and redemption. Long after you close the covers of this book, the stories of young lives changed on the “miracle ranch” known as Project Patch will remain in your heart forever.

If Parenting is a Three Ring Circus, How Come I’m Not The Ringmaster

With the support of his own 2 adult children, Tom Sanford shares creative ways to raise great kids.  This book uses both war strategies and circus metaphores to guide you on a journey of looking differently at your job as a parent. If thinking of parenting in terms of war, consider your next mission to be a love attack!  This book will bring hope and renewed vigor to even the most discouraged parents.

Are you searching for more effective parenting skills, discipline that works, and, most of all, a surefire approach to bring joy back to your family?  This book may be your answer.  Through years of experience working with teenagers as well as raising his own kids, Tom Sanford, founder of Project Patch, provides you with innovative parenting tips that reduce family chaos and bring back the joy.

Tips from the book, now in second edition:

• If logic doesn’t work, don’t use it. Logic should never be the point of an argument. Love, forgiveness, and valuing another person is the point.
• Creativity is far more effective in discipline than anger, yelling, or spanking.
• Humor without sarcasm works when nothing else will.
• Avoid lectures; they don’t work.
• If you didn’t cause it, why fix it?  If a child never learns to “fix” what he “broke” he will not learn responsibility. This becomes your “teachable moment” of discipline.
• Building assets is critical. The more assets children have the better they will feel about themselves.
• Encourage your child to become what they want to be rather than what you expect of them.

Parents who buy this book have 133 pages of easy, short, on-point, and practical tools. Learn how to begin to use your new plan consistently and begin a powerful love attack on your child right away. God’s rules don’t change and neither should ours. Learn how to apply consistent consequences for behavior, be merciful and gracious, always love them, and never give up on your kids.

To order Tom’s books, please contact our main office at 360-690-8495, or email info@projectpatch.org.

The cost is$15 per book.