| News Release:
For Immediate Release |
SHINING HOPE FARMS RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM LOCAL BELMONT NONPROFIT MITE
Mt. Holly, NC (AUGUST 30, 2022) – Shining Hope Farms is pleased to announce that it has received a $15,000 pledge from local Belmont nonprofit Mite. Mite’s mission is to join givers and charities in first-class, trustworthy humanitarian outreach. In our fast-paced world, the benefits of generosity can often be lost. Mite strives to highlight those benefits and build a community of givers who are making an impact on the world.
Ultimately Mite seeks to collaborate with humanitarian-related relief organizations through funding projects related to alleviating hunger, illness, disease, poverty, and other ailments affecting humanity. Shining Hope Farms, a Mt. Holly based nonprofit and healthcare provider with a heart for serving low-income families, was chosen after a thorough vetting process against a number of stringent criteria. Both Shining Hope Farms and Mite value a high level of accountability and transparency, something that makes them well matched partners.
Mite has pledged $15,000 of funding for Shining Hope Farms’ Therapeutic Riding program. Therapeutic riding is an equine-assisted activity for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of individuals with special needs.
“We are so grateful to Mite and their donors for this funding which will ensure we can serve any individual in this enriching program, regardless of their financial means,” said Milinda Kirkpatrick, Executive Director of Shining Hope Farms.
This funding will help Shining Hope Farms to facilitate quality of life improvements for many clients with disabilities. While therapeutic riding lessons are recreational, they are goal oriented and their design leads to many broad benefits. These benefits include improvements in physical abilities, emotional stability, social interaction, and cognition. The objective of the program is that through continuous lessons, individuals will not only experience enjoyment through an inclusive activity but that they will also be better able to function in their environment, helping them to become more connected and independent citizens.
Milinda also points out, “The fees for service we collect, only cover a quarter of what it costs to run the program, which is why the funding from Mite is so vital. We designed our fee structure this way because we strive to make our program financially accessible and equitable, as the families of this population are often already strapped by the high cost that comes with caring for a child with disabilities.” This is critical to many families, including families who have children with autism, which is one of the major diagnoses Shining Hope Farms sees. According to the CDC medical costs for children with autism spectrum disorders alone are estimated to be six times higher than for children without ASDs.
When it comes to choosing a project to fund, Mite welcomes suggestions from their giving community on impactful organizations that they are already impressed with or support themselves. “A few months ago, one of our donors recommended Shining Hope Farms, and after our thorough vetting process, we decided that they were the best fit for Mite this year,” said Milenita Vega, Project Director at Mite, “Shining Hope Farms has such an innovative program that has helped thousands of people gain independence and the physical and emotional skills necessary to engage with their peers and families for a better quality of life. They are leaders in their field.”
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About Shining Hope Farms
Shining Hope Farms is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enable children and adults to reach their full potential through the use of equine assisted activities and therapies. Programs provided include physical, occupational, and speech therapy utilizing equine movement as a treatment strategy called hippotherapy. Shining Hope Farms is the only facility offering this treatment strategy in the counties that they operate in. Equine assisted mental health counseling is also offered along with therapeutic riding for children and adults including Veterans. They are a Premier Accredited Center of PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International) as well as a member of the American Hippotherapy Association. Locations include sites in Charlotte, Mt. Holly, and Conover, NC. Between the three locations there are 30+ horses and 50 staff members consisting of occupational and physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, PATH Intl. certified riding instructors, and administrative staff, plus many wonderful volunteers. Shining Hope Farms is also a GuideStar Exchange Gold participant, a leading symbol of transparency and accountability among nonprofits. For more information, please visit the website at shininghopefarms.org or call (704) 827-3788.
Media Contact:
Patrice Gibson, Development Director, (813) 597-9178, patricegibson@shininghopefarms.org