$130,400 OTF Grant Supports Horses At Heart Programs
NEWS RELEASE – OCTOBER 13, 2023
KING TOWNSHIP, ON — On Friday, MPP Caroline Mulroney and MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy stopped by Waterstone Estate and Farms to formally congratulate a local non-profit group, Horses At Heart Therapeutic Equestrian Adventures, on the work being done as a result of receiving a $130,400 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The two-year long grant was awarded in mid-2022 and is helping the group expand hybrid and digital equine-assisted therapy programs.
“I am pleased to see that the Ontario Trillium Foundation continues to invest in local non-profit groups who are delivering programs that are making a difference in our community,” said Caroline Mulroney, MPP for York-Simcoe. “The therapeutic equine programs at Horses At Heart provides people of all ages and abilities with programs that support personal mental wellness opportunities.”
Thanks to the funds received from OTF, Horses at Heart is able to focus on its goals of continuing to deliver programs for local residents by assisting it with staffing costs, as well as online program development, and purchasing online licenses and technical equipment too. The Resilient Communities Fund grant program was developed by OTF in 2020 to help non-profit organizations to rebuild and recover from the impact of the pandemic.
MPP Mulroney and MPP Gallagher Murphy were also treated to an example of one of its programs in action with highlights of Horses At Heart’s work with the P.E.A.K North’s work placement program at Huron Heights high school. The students will present an equine musical ride showcasing their horsemanship skills. There was also an opportunity to see work students have completed in My Day Maker, a daily journaling and mental wellness program with employment skill building and leadership training.
“The government’s investment of $130,400 in Horses for Heart through the Ontario Trillium Foundation has ensured this meaningful community service was able to recover and build its resiliency due to the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket- Aurora. “Equine assisted therapeutic programs are a unique and highly effective approach to help individuals build trust and confidence, secure wellness and learn how to regulate their emotions.”
“This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant has made it possible for us to enhance our programming now and for the future,” said Deborah Weiss, Executive Director, Horses At Heart. “Since Covid, the importance of social engagement for those seeking mental wellness support has become a focal point for our program development and developing an online component allows community members to engage daily with a mental wellness program and with each other.”
During the celebration at WaterStone Estate and Farms, there was also an opportunity to see work students who have completed in My Day Maker, a daily journaling and mental wellness program with employment skill building and leadership training.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more.