Gateway HorseWorks
Join Gateway HorseWorks for a country western-inspired evening with live music, bourbon tasting, and delicious BBQ! This year, the Boots & BBQ event will celebrate our programs for children and youth! In 2023, over one third of the clients that our team and herd, of mostly rescue horses, has served were children in our community.
To prioritize access to these transformative services, we provide low-cost individual and family sessions, as well as free-to-participant community programs. Join us at Boots & BBQ to celebrate our community partners and the children we serve!
Sponsor Boots & BBQ today, and support our mission to incorporate horses for the mental health treatment of children and adults!
“THE HORSES HELPED BECAUSE IT MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE AND IT HELPED ME BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT MY ISSUES.”
- BEYOND THE BARN, YOUTH PARTICIPANT
Leading the Way, student participant
In America, nearly one in six youth experience mental illness
Whether experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, or seeking support to develop healthy boundaries, relationships, or navigate peer-presssure, all of the young people in our community deserve support and access to resources that help them thrive.
This year, more than one third of the individual clients that Gateway HorseWorks has served were children and youth. As of July 2023, GHW has already surpassed the total number of children served in 2022. We anticipate doubling the total number of young people served by the end of the year, a near $43,500 investment in the health and wellbeing of our children and youth!
Our youth community programs include:
Leading the Way with the School District of Philadelphia, the Morrison School, Wissahickon Charter School and Neubauer Foundation
Beyond the Barn with referrals from Chester and Montgomery Counties
Juvenile Probation Offices and Children Youth and Family Services
Stable Pathways with Penn Hospice for bereaved children, youth, & families
"The farm makes me feel safe and it's fun because the horses need trust like you and me.”
"I get to explore myself at the farm."
“When I come to the farm, I feel safe around Kristen and Amber. When I'm around the horses, we learn a lot about life strategies like boundaries, safety, and respect.”
"I get to socialize and talk to people that I feel comfy to talk to. Life was hard in the past. Things will get better in the future. I pray for everybody and the horses."
Leading the Way serves young people in the School District of Philadelphia, our emerging leaders to strengthen and develop prosocial learning and skills
100% of students improved in attendance during the four-week program period and after.
75% of students with disciplinary referrals saw a decrease.
100% reported that what they learned in the program lead to positive change in their lives.
Beyond the Barn is a traumainformed program that incorporates horses as key agents of connection and reflection, Increasing the capacity of youth to make pro-social connections Referrals are made from Children Youth and Families and Juvenile Probation In 2023, Beyond the Barn expanded to serve caregivers.
in 2022, 100% of participants completed a full course of treatment;
92% had no rearrest within 6 months;
100% were not placed out of home within 6 months
Gateway HorseWorks
Gateway HorseWorks incorporates horses for the mental health treatment of people. Gateway HorseWorks’ vision is to make the incorporation of horses for the mental health treatment of people accessible to all by prioritizing access for our most marginalized and vulnerable communities. Through the development of groundbreaking programs, education, and a community-driven approach, Gateway HorseWorks aims to further research in this field of practice and be a leader in innovative mental health solutions. Since founding in 2015, Gateway HorseWorks has served nearly 3000 clients in over 6000 sessions.
