Tag Archives: Gray & Jerry Fadden Horse Whisperer Grant

Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center Receives Gray & Jerry Fadden Horse Whisperer Grant

Students at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center. Photo Courtesy of the Client.

Buffalo, NY – September 6, 2011 – The Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) is pleased to announce that it recently received the prestigious Gray & Jerry Fadden Horse Whisperer Grant from the EQUUS Foundation. Each year, the EQUUS Foundation awards grants to charitable organizations that promote the positive use of the horse for the benefit of the general public. BTRC strives towards this goal as it promotes the unique bond between horses and people that can be particularly meaningful to children with disabilities.

The grant was presented to the BTRC in the amount of $5000, which was based on the EQUUS Foundation’s knowledge and understanding of BTRC and its unique program. “We are just so grateful for their generosity,” commented Susan B. Schoellkopf, Director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center. “We can’t do the program without the support of a foundation like EQUUS. Lynn Coakley and Jenny Belknap Kees have been so supportive of the program, and it continues to grow by leaps and bounds every year. Over the last year, this grant allowed our program to serve about 80 more children, and we hope to see the same growth during the coming year.”

Based in Buffalo, New York, BTRC provides a safe, relaxing and non-academic environment for children with physical and mental disabilities to interact with horses, volunteers and peers. The grant will be used for scholarships, as approximately 80% of the children who participate are economically disadvantaged and unable to afford the lessons. BTRC is a PATH International Premier Center, which is the highest level of certification available to charities providing therapeutic riding to individuals with disabilities.

Operating out of Buffalo, New York, BTRC is a non-profit organization that promotes and teaches horseback riding – noted for its social and therapeutic benefits – to disadvantaged and emotionally challenged children. Since 1990, the center has provided the experience of riding and caring for horses to children with a variety of disabilities. The program has expanded steadily and currently serves more than 170 children annually.

For more information on Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit www.thebtrc.org.

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