EQUI-KIDS is changing lives, one stride at a time through the power of equine-assisted service for children & adults with special abilities, active duty & Veteran military service members, and first responders. EQUI-KIDS is a 501c3 organization that provides life-changing equine-assisted services (EAS) to a large and diverse community of children and adults with special needs in the Hampton Roads
community. as a Premier Accredited Center. PATH Intl. is the international professional organization that sets the standards for the EAS industry and certifies credentials for PATH Intl. centers and instructors. EQUI-KIDS serves an average of 100-130 participants each week and all services are provided by credentialed providers. Our services include therapeutic riding, therapeutic horsemanship, equine-assisted learning, equine-assisted psychotherapy with a licensed mental health provider (mental health services for individuals and groups), Speech Therapy, EQUI-VETS Military Service Program (serving active-duty service members and veterans), EQUI-HEROES (serving first responders), job coaching, school partnership programs, summer inclusion camps, and educational workshops. Participants range in age from 5 years to seniors in their 90s with more than 150 distinct diagnoses recorded. EQUI-KIDS continually improves the methodology and evaluation of its services to develop the most positive, cost-effective, efficient services and organizational structure possible. EQUI-KIDS provides therapeutic interventions to help develop healthier, more productive citizens, creating a positive impact for our community today and in the future. EQUI-KIDS relies upon -250-300 active volunteers who receive rigorous training and who provide 14,000 plus volunteer hours annually. More than 800 plus participants are served during an average fiscal year. The organization is governed by a highly engaged, volunteer board of directors and is staffed by 12 full-time/10 part-time employees, along with a herd of 21 horses and 4 ponies. Each horse is a different size and has a unique personality, which provides us the opportunity to create the optimal match between horse and participant. Philanthropic contributions for EQUI-KIDS comprises 92% of its gross annual operating revenue of $1,386,00.00. EQUI-KIDS has the ability to create sustainable, long-term programs that provide measurable objectives that carry over into the participant’s life at school or at work, at home, and in the community. Now, more than ever, EQUI-KIDS is an invaluable resource for children and adults with special needs and their families as well as our military heroes and first responders.
