Peninsula horse ranch provides welcoming place for people on the autism spectrum

One in 36 children in the U.S. are on the autism spectrum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California has an even higher rate with one in 27.

A Peninsula woman makes sure they are included, hosting them at a fulfilling place for everyone to feel and "be okay."

The work feeds her soul. Somehow, Tish Dipman always knew she's spend her life with horses.

"And when I was 9, I declared to everyone that I would one day work in a barn," she said with a smile.

Dipman has been riding since age four and competed in local shows. Years later, when she volunteered as a certified therapeutic riding instructor at B.O.K. Ranch in San Mateo County, she knew it felt like home.

She took the reins of the ranch as executive director 20 years ago.

Located on a corner of the Horse Park at Woodside, B.O.K. Ranch began 40 years ago as a therapeutic riding program for children with disabilities. It was founded in 1985 by Ann Kulchin and her family.

But Dipman has expanded it into an all-inclusive nonprofit that serves 100 people a week, from children to adults, in riding, horsemanship, and vocational training.

There are fees for the programs, but they can be offset in part by scholarships, grants and support from social service agencies. The significant change is that the nonprofit is no longer just for the neurodiverse.

"It doesn't matter if a person is neurodiverse or neurotypical. Everyone shares the same common thread, which is a love for horses," said Dipman.

She has created a special place, where families and friends can all grow together, according to B.O.K. Ranch vocational program coach Karen Mahon.

"She brings together and creates this really warm sense of community that helps people shine when they come here," Mahon said.

And neurodiverse participants who may face loneliness elsewhere can saddle into a place of belonging at B.O.K. Ranch. Take Riley Wolf and Kaitlin Bentley, best friends who also share a bond with Dipman.

"She's like a second mom to me and a best friend to me," Bentley said.

The young women are in the vocational program, where students harness a sense of purpose and confidence as they care for the horses and manage the barn. Wolf says she looks forward to the experience twice a week.

"It makes me feel more connected to animals in a deeper way," she said. "It makes me happier, more positive."

And that makes Dipman happy, for it embodies the B.O.K. name and mission.

"B.O.K. Ranch means, 'Everything will be OK.' Our tag line is, 'Be kind. Be brave. Be OK. B.O.K. Ranch,'" she said.

So for expanding B.O.K. Ranch into an inclusive place of growth and belonging, this week's CBS News Bay Area Icon Award goes to Tish Dipman.