ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020
“Together we are creating an impact in our community. We are changing the lives of those who need our services the most.” JAN POLLEMA
REFLECTIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Reflecting on the past year, there is one word that keeps popping up: Resilience. It has been a year of challenges but it’s also been a year of triumph, of overcoming, and coming together. We are so grateful for the individuals, businesses and foundations who provide so generously for the furtherance of our mission despite mounting economic uncertainty. We are blessed to have committed volunteers, passionate staff, and a herd of equines who are the rock-solid foundation of all we do here. This year has been even more challenging for our program participants than a “typical” year, and yet, with each new change and challenge, they continue to persevere, and show up to do their best. The 2019-2020 fiscal year was unlike any year we’ve ever experienced in our 24 year history. Beginning with a county-wide Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) outbreak that required our herd to be quarantined, to the outbreak of COVID-19 that changed our daily lives in a way no one could have predicted, to the fires that threatened the very existence of our local community—this was certainly a momentous year. All of this on the heels of welcoming our community into our brand new, effort-of-love building, the Lucky Hearts Arena. The challenges of this past year have forced us to step-up and practice what we teach—we faced the challenges head on, remained flexible with each new development, and adapted to be able to continue to serve our community. And what’s more, we did this as a team! Together we are creating an impact in our community. We are changing the lives of those who need our services the most. With sincere gratitude and appreciation for your support and generosity.
Jan Pollema Executive Director
2019/2020 Annual Report - 1
ABOUT US: SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS
MISSION STATEMENT At Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center, our mission is to promote the physical, cognitive, emotional and social wellbeing of people with special needs through equine-assisted activities and therapies.
VISION STATEMENT Our vision is that every person has a safe environment to develop their physical strength, intellectual growth, and positive social emotional learning while creating a community for themselves built on respect, leadership, generosity, and kindness.
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PROGRAMS • Therapeutic Riding: Children and adults with disabilities work with certified instructors in equestrian skill-based lessons to develop independent skills that carry over into their everyday lives. • Changing Leads: At-risk youth find friendship, develop trust and form a deep connection when partnered with a horse to explore emotions and behaviors in a safe place to reflect, learn and grow. • Therapy Services: Physical and Occupational Therapists utilize purposeful equine movement as a therapy tool to address impairments, functional limitations and disabilities in patients with neuromotor and sensory dysfunction. This treatment strategy is used as part of an integrated treatment plan to achieve functional goals. • Hearts & Horses for Heroes: This program is designed specifically for our service personnel and Veterans of every era. The vision for this program is to help veterans heal and grow by restoring the
wisdom of their mind, body and spirit through their interactions with horses, each other, and the natural world. • Riding in the Moment: This program helps adults and seniors facing the challenges of aging, memory loss, and age or injury related cognitive impairments to find joy in equine related activities. • Interactive Vaulting: Vaulting is a combination of gymnastics and dance on the back of a moving horse, and has a variety of therapeutic benefits—it increases physical strength, balance and coordination, it also promotes development of cognitive and emotional skills. According to the individual needs of the vaulter, movements may be very simple, such as sitting without holding the surcingle, or more complex as in kneeling or standing on the horse’s back. • Training and Education: Hearts & Horses is a highly regarded training facility and hosts several PATH Intl. workshops and certification courses throughout the year. 2019/2020 Annual Report - 3
DEMOGRAPHICS HEARTS & HORSES BEGAN COLLABORATING WITH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IRVING MEDICAL SCHOOL ON THE
MAN O’WAR STUDY
This groundbreaking research is providing the first clinical evidence of the effectiveness of Equine Assisted Services for treating veterans who suffer from PTSD. We are honored to serve the Veterans who have given so much and to help further the scientific study of Equine Assisted Activities.
WE SERVED PARTICIPANTS FROM
4 COUNTIES
along the Front Range of Colorado including: Larimer, Weld, Boulder and Adams County, and as far afield as Cheyenne, WY!
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655
PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED BENEFITS from Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies at Hearts & Horses in 2019-2020.
CHILDREN 67%
ADULTS 33%
HEARTS & HORSES PARTNERED WITH 4 LOCAL AGENCIES for one day retreats, providing life changing opportunities to 29 individuals from Pathways, 3 Hopeful Hearts, The Arch Foundation, and Finally Home Foundation.
4.43% .92% 3.97% 6.11% 9%
37.25%
4.5% 28.7%
4.5% 32.21%
9.6%
Program Diversity Therapeutic Riding Therapy Services Changing Leads Veterans Riding in the Moment Blue Mountain Riding Academy Day Retreats Interactive Vaulting Total Program Participants:
52.35% 6.38%
Diagnoses Treated at Hearts & Horses 188 63 244 59 26 40 29 6 655
Genetic (Down Syndrome, 22Q, Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile x, Muscular Dystrophy, etc.) Mental/Emotional (depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder, trauma related disorders) Neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s disease) Neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays, ADHD, etc.) Physical (spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, stroke, amputation)
2019/2020 Annual Report - 5
SCHOLARSHIP
“I don’t ask for help except for from an organization like this. The scholarship really makes it possible for us to be here. I always tell people who are having a hard time with their kids, go to Hearts & Horses.” CONNIE C., GREAT-GRANDMOTHER / ADOPTIVE PARENT
ARIANA & HER GREAT GRANDMOTHER Meet Ariana! Ariana began to work with Hearts & Horses by participating in our powerfully transformative Changing Leads program and now rides in our Interactive Vaulting program. Before partnering with our outstanding staff, volunteers and our equines, Ariana struggled to control her emotions, and cope with her rough start to life. “I can have anger issues. I went to so many therapists and that really didn’t help me. So Grandma put me at Hearts & Horses and this has really helped me,” she says.
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Riding has encouraged Ariana to be more mindful and it makes her feel more calm, confident, and self-aware. Her passion for vaulting is palpable and she says she’s here to “build up my dance moves!” This year has been a life changing year for Ariana whose adoption finally went through during the COVID-19 shutdown. Her Great Grandmother and adoptive parent, Connie, is determined to show Ariana a new way of life, and programs like ours are a window to a different way of living for the little girl she loves so much.
$309,445 TOTAL SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN IN 2019-20
357 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
55%
PARTICIPANTS ON SCHOLARSHIP
SHARING THE HOPE SEVEN LAKES MEMORY CARE DERBY DAY Every spring and summer, residents of Seven Lakes Memory Care who are living with dementia participate in our Riding in the Moment program. Care facilities have been among the hardest hit by COVD-19 and as a result, the residents have had extraordinary levels of isolation from the activities they rely on to keep them engaged. Since they couldn’t come to us, we brought the horses to Seven Lakes instead. Bella and Moses, along with Tango, a brown-and-white donkey with flowers in his mane, met residents outside in the fresh air for their very own derby! The facility staff helped the residents make elegant hats to wear and served mock mint juleps, and the horses were given garlands after their “race.” Hearts & Horses volunteers also made colorful Derby Day cards for the residents to enjoy. Even the staff members were dressed in their best, right down to floral-patterned masks. The derby was a much needed bright spot for these residents in a very tough year. 2019/2020 Annual Report - 7
2019-20 IMPACT ON NORTHERN COLORADO
30 EQUINES IN THE HERD 3,300
BALES OF HAY CONSUMED
VARSITY OF LEXLIN Member of the Herd since 2013
2020 PATH INTL. REGION 10 EQUINE OF THE YEAR
18 AVG. AGE OF HERD HORSES
LIZ DE KOCK Director of Equine Services
2020 PATH INTL. REGION 10 CREDENTIALED PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR 8 - Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center
VARSITY
VOLUNTEERS
FINANCE
$883,460
$309,445
VALUE OF VOLUNTEER HOURS
29,948
AWARDED IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
700 NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS WHO GAVE
DONORS
965
TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS
$356K
THEIR TIME THIS FISCAL YEAR PARTICIPANTS
95% 655 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
of all participants are highly satisfied with the programs at Hearts & Horses.
HEARTS & HORSES 2019 LUCKY HEARTS GALA (NET) CAROL MCKENNAN Volunteer Since 2013
2020 NATIONAL PATH INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AND REGION 10 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
74%
HEARTS & HORSES UNDERWRITES 74% of all program cost to keep our services affordable.
2019/2020 Annual Report - 9
STORIES FROM THE SADDLE VETERANS Steve has been riding in our Hearts & Horses for Heroes program for 2 years. He said, “I deal a lot with PTSD from Vietnam. You form a relationship with the horse. When you’re with the horse everything else goes away. It gives you unbelievable relief. No other time is like that, it’s better than a counselor for me.” During COVID-19 Steve began riding in a session with his Grandson Hayes. “It's lots of fun to ride together. It takes you away from everything else. We look forward to it every week.” Steve’s wife Linda (aka Grandma) excitedly told us that “They want to volunteer here together this summer.” Hearts & Horses truly is a family affair!
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STEVE
HAYES
“Before H&H he was really sad. Lots of life struggles and big changes. He has lots of anxiety, when he comes out here, that’s gone.” LINDA F.,
DIANE
GRANDMOTHER
CHANGING LEADS Before coming to Hearts & Horses, Hayes was experiencing challenges coping with rapid life changes. Now 4 years later, Hayes serves as an ambassador for Hearts & Horses, and loves sharing a message of hope with others. His favorite things about H&H are his horse Magic, working with his volunteers Roger & Anne, and getting to ride with his Grandfather Steve!
THERAPEUTIC RIDING Diane began losing her eyesight 2 years ago. The sudden and almost complete loss of her vision changed everything she had planned for her future. She was forced to retire from a job she loved and has learned how to adapt without being able to see. “I felt inadequate. I didn’t feel sorry for myself, I just felt in a really low, depressive state. Nothing I could do was challenging me or helping me to feel success. But with the horse, each day that I ride, I learn something that I didn’t think I could do and it gives me the motivation and confidence that I can overcome problems at home.” When asked what she enjoys most about her time at Hearts & Horses, Diane quickly responds, “Learning to Trot... in that hour I feel free.” 2019/2020 Annual Report - 11
THERAPY SERVICES HARPER
Harper is five years old and started riding in our Therapy Services Program two years ago to receive direct medical treatments in partnership with an equine. Harper was born with a rare genetic condition that affects her strength and muscles all over her body, making even a short walk a challenge. “We’ve always been looking for something to build her muscles and that she also enjoys, you want her to have fun with it. This [program] builds her confidence up. She’s better at verbalizing how she’s feeling, better at safety awareness- she asks, do I need help with this? Is this a good idea? Her listening and attention has gotten better,” mother Rachel said. Harper’s favorite part of coming to Hearts & Horses, to no one’s surprise is her pony Xellie. Her Occupational Therapist, Rose and volunteers Bev and Gary, are a close second!
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COVID-19: A LESSON IN RESILIENCE
-$292,810 LOST REVENUE FROM SHUTDOWNS & REDUCED CAPACITY
0
-10
-20
-25% -26.2% -35.6%
-30
-40
-50
The 2019-2020 fiscal year was challenging in a lot of ways, but perhaps the most difficult aspect for our team here at Hearts & Horses was that even as the need for our programming had never been greater, we were unable to serve more people due to COVID-19 safety concerns. In March, we had to close our doors, send over half of our herd off the property to reduce expenses, and we held on tight. By June, we were able to begin our slow-phased approach to resuming programs and now are serving 50% of our riders. As a result of our reduced capacity, this year presented the largest financial challenge we have faced in our 20 years of existence. But in the face of this challenge, our community of sponsors and individual donors helped us to weather the storm. Thank you all!
-50%
COVID-19 by the Numbers Herd Size Riders Served Individual Volunteers Volunteer Hours
-50% -26.2% -25% -35.6%
2019/2020 Annual Report - 13
FINANCIALS
$0.04 Based on audited financial statements.
$0.87 $0.09
How We Use Our Donor Dollars
$60
87 cents of every dollar donated was spent on programming for our participants. Programming Services Fundraising Expenses General Operating Expenses
$0.87 $0.04 $0.09
2019-20 Cost of Service Donor Offset Participant fee
Total: $1.00
9%
$35
$60 $35
Actual Cost Per Lesson: $95
Functional Expenses 4%
Program Services
$1,140,965
SUPPORTING SERVICES
87%
General and administrative Fundraising
$113,775 $57,747
Total Expenses: $1,312,487
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SHARING THE HOPE
3HOPEFUL HEARTS BRAVE HEARTS RETREAT In November of 2019, Hearts & Horses welcomed 3Hopeful Hearts and 16 of the kids they work with to the ranch. The goal was lofty, to help the kids learn to trust themselves in order to process difficult experiences. They worked with our volunteers and equine companions who provided a safety net as they uncovered leadership skills and found their own voices.
“We were so touched by the kindness, compassion, energy and intention of the whole day. What an immensely inspiring day filled with joy, tears, hope and so much love and gratitude.” BETSY FECTEAU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 3HOPEFUL HEARTS
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NOTE FROM MICHAEL MCGINELY, BOARD PRESIDENT The past year has presented Hearts & Horses with unprecedented challenges and uncertainty in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guiding principle through it all was, as it always is, to protect both our humans and our equines while continuing to provide as much programming as possible for a community and individuals in need. I dare say we did this, and more, in an ever changing environment. It would not have been possible without the resilience, commitment, and tireless efforts of our staff, volunteers, donors, riders, families, and Board of Directors. I am honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, and I know I speak for my fellow Board members when I say we are proud of this organization’s ability
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MICHAEL McGINLEY, Ph.D. – Board President | Retired President, Biologicals and Pharmaceuticals at Heska Corp. and current owner of MJM Consulting Services, LLC., a provider of product development, regulatory affairs, and manufacturing consulting services to the animal health industry. Joined January, 2019 MICHELLE GRIFFITH – Secretary | Michelle Griffith CPP, MBA; Senior Director, Corporate Product Strategy FLIR Systems. Joined September, 2016
to simultaneously manage today and build a vision for tomorrow. With your help and support, we will continue to reach higher in order to bring even more to those with disabilities in our community. Onward and upward! IN GRATITUDE, MICHAEL J. MCGINLEY, BOARD PRESIDENT
ROGER BATES – Treasurer | Retired Financial Advisor with Bouchard-BatesRipsam-Boxleitner Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. Former co-owner of Bates & Bates, Certified Public Accountants and Past Chairman of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants. Joined February, 2014 ADAM BLIVEN – Board Member | Branch President, First Advantage, Loveland. Joined September, 2016 Continued on next page
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JARED GOODMAN – Board Member | Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield. Joined March, 2017 BOB DEHN – Board Member President | Owner, Front Range Fire Protection, Inc; Board Member First Advantage Bank 19 years. Joined July, 2020 JUDY WHICHARD, Ph.D. – Board Member | President, Consulting Associates, a company specializing in research, evaluation, grant writing and strategic planning. Former educator at Colorado State University and administrator at Aims Community College. Joined September, 2016 ELIZABETH KEARNEY, P.C. – Board Member | ELK is a lifetime horse enthusiast and lawyer practicing in Berthoud, Colorado. Deep roots in the community and being co-founder of a community arts center contribute to her knowledge base which she is honored to put to work for Heart & Horses. Joined September, 2016 TRACY L. HOGUE – Board Member | Vice President, Bank of Colorado. Joined November, 2019
2019–2020 COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS • ACPR • Action Plumbing • American Hippotherapy Association • American Legion Auxiliary • Black Eagle Fence • Blue Ocean Enterprises • Boulder Valley School District • Boy Scouts of America • Cheyenne VA Medical Center • Children’s Hospital - Colorado • Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints (Loveland) • Colorado Non-Profit Association • Colorado Reading Corps • Colorado State University • Coulson Excavating • Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (Chapter 3-6) • Constant Contact • CSU School of Occupational Therapy • CSU School of Social Work • CSU Slice • CSU RamServe • CSU’s Temple Grandin Equine Center • DaVita, Inc. • Department of Human ServicesLarimer County • Desperados 4H • DOVIA (Directors of Volunteers International) • Dutch Bros Coffee • Envision
• Equine Network-Hope in the Saddle • Evergreen Middle School • Finally Home Foundation • Foothills Gateway • Fort Collins Vet Center • Front Range Community College • Front Range Fire Protection • Give Next Philanthropy • Group Mission Trips “Week of Hope” • Group Publishing • High Plains School • Jacob’s Center • Keypoint Government Solutions • Larimer County Alternative Sentencing/Community Corrections • Larimer County IT • Larimer County Workforce Center • Longmont Newcomers Club • Loveland Mounted Patrol • Metropolitan State University Denver (School of Social Work) • Morgan Stanley • McWhinney • Namaqua Center - SummitStone Health Partners • Non-Profit Learning Lab • Northern Colorado Draft Horse Association • Northern Colorado Mustang Car Club • Otterbox
• Pathways Hospice • Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) • Plante Moran • Points of Light Foundation • Poudre School District- Cooper Home 4 Living • PVREA • Project Self-Sufficiency • Realities for Children • Redeemer Lutheran Church • Respite Care • Rooftop Rodeo • RUPES • Safelite Autoglass • Sample Supports • Senior Community Service Employment Program • Seven Lakes Memory Care • Sherwin-Williams of Loveland • The Center for Family Outreach • Thompson R2-J School District • Timberline Church • Turning Point • UC Health • United Way of Larimer CountyMake a Difference Day • University of Colorado-Boulder • University of Denver • University of Northern Colorado • University of Wyoming • Veterans Passport to Hope • VFW Post 41 • Volunteers of America (RSVP Program)
2019/2020 Annual Report - 17
163 N. County Road 29 Loveland, CO 80537 Email: info@heartsandhorses.org Phone: 970.663.4200 Web: www.heartsandhorses.org
ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020
Hearts & Horses, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All contributions to Hearts & Horses are tax-deductible under Federal Tax ID #84-1387873.