Our current truck more than 26 years old with nearly 300,000 miles. Our trailer is even older. And while our farm is just minutes from several major cities, there is no public transportation, which is a major barrier to reaching the children who need this program. If our goal is met, we will be able to bring our equine assisted educational programs to schools in over 6 counties, allowing us to serve hundreds of at risk youth each year with vital life skills and character building sessions.
In NYS more than more than 59% of teens did not eat breakfast for more than a week. 24% of youth feel sad or hopeless, and more than 20% have been bullied on school property. More than 14% have attempted suicide, and 78 took their own lives. Our teens are living in turmultuous times. They need programs that teach them critical life skills such as responsibility, self-reliance, dependability, trust, empathy and respect. There is only so much a school can do, and that's where horses can help.
If we can bring our equine assisted life skills programs to schools, we can reach the youth who need it most. The children in the urban areas have no access to the farm, so we can bring the farm to them! With a series of horse assisted activities that have been piloted in schools nationally, we can help teens learn about horses, and themselves. Horses are a catalyst for self-awareness and improvement, and help us learn healthy life skills that we can use throughout our lives.
With a reliable truck and trailer we have the potential to reach hundreds, if not thousands of children each year through school and community based group programming in the Southern Tier of NYS, which is currently experiencing extreme economic hardships. By teaching youth to care for themselves, others, and the horses, we are teaching them the vital life and character skills they need to be happy, healthy, productive adults, who will be able to escape the socio-economic difficulties they face.
