SHINING HOPE FARMS

Shining Hope Farms is a nonprofit whose mission is to enable children and adults to reach their full potential through the use of equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). Our organization’s three locations serve the Western Piedmont region of North Carolina with a strong concentration in the Charlotte Metro area.

Founded in 2002 in response to the needs in the community to provide therapeutic services in a farm environment, we have grown exponentially since. Our current programs include 1) Therapy Services (occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling services), 2) Therapeutic Riding, and 3) Saddles & Salutes—an EAAT program for Veterans.

Our organization has achieved a great number of milestones over the past 20 years including a) becoming the leader in the hippotherapy treatment strategy in our region b) becoming a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center (Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International—the main global authority for equine-assisted activities and therapies), c) hosting national and international level training workshops, d) presenting at industry conferences, e) becoming a model and pro bono consultant to new organizations looking to start similar programs nationwide, f) being featured regularly in the media due to the positive measurable outcomes of our participants, and g) maintaining the GuideStar Exchange Gold participation level, a leading symbol of transparency and accountability.

Shining Hope Farms has grown 1,000% in respect to the number of clients served and expanded to 4x’s the original locations (including one satellite in collaboration with another EAAT nonprofit) in the 20 years since our inception. Our staff has also grown to 50+ staff members consisting of specialized occupational and physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and numerous PATH Intl. Certified Riding Instructors among others.

Our biggest achievement however is the impact that we have made in the community by facilitating thousands of clients to reach medical and personal milestones over the years. Participants have gained independence and the physical and emotional skills necessary to engage with their peers and families on a meaningful level, and thrive personally. We have helped so many clients to reach their full potential and become productive citizens in our community, all while keeping our services financially accessible to our local families, especially those that are low-income.