Animals can provide wonderful support to children with disabilities by forming life-enhancing connections.
Harmony Farms, a nonprofit in Cocoa, engages many such children through therapeutic horseback riding experiences. Therapeutic riding benefits individuals of all ages who are dealing with a wide spectrum of cognitive, physical and emotional challenges.
Recently, Slug-A-Bug sponsored Harmony Farms’ fundraising event, the Buckaroo Ball, held on February 17 at the Space Coast Convention Center. The event featured both silent and live auctions, with proceeds going to support the nonprofit.
Slug-A-Bug’s support of Harmony Farms is part of its ongoing commitment to help charitable organizations operating in the Brevard County community.
A member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH), Harmony Farms is an approved venue for fulfilling community service and scholarship requirements for local schools. The group also functions as an off-campus training site for various university and medical programs.
Harmony Farms has been catering to the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities for more than three decades. The organization offers services by certified therapeutic riding Instructors to 60 riders per week, with a waiting list in place.
Funding relies primarily on donations, grants, rider fees and fundraising events. The riding program operates year-round, focusing on 10 months of weekly therapeutic riding lessons. During summers, Harmony Farms hosts riding camps as fundraising initiatives.
Read more about Slug-A-Bug’s support of community organizations here.