The Gleneayre Equestrian Program (GEP) is an organization which serves at-risk youth. The GEP received a $3,000 grant from the Community Foundation of South Jersey’s (CFSJ) South Jersey Covid-19 Response Fund. The Gleneayre Equestrian Program uses the powerful connection between horses and people to teach, learn, grow, and heal.
This hands-on experience-based equestrian program was suspended when COVID-19 impacted South Jersey. As a result of closures, students missed out on the connecting experience with their project horse, but the horses were also missing their students. The GEP team worked to keep the horses healthy and maintain the facility, but inevitably expenses grew. They sought support from the Response Fund. They received financial support to address blacksmith costs, horse health, and wellness expenses, including those of older horses who have specific, sometimes costly needs.
Being a part of the CFSJ community has broadened and deepened the Gleneayre Equestrian Program’s network. Bill Rube, Executive Director at Gleneayre Equestrian Program shared, “CFSJ has a great team. When the pandemic hit, they knew there would be growing needs throughout the community, and they stepped up to make a difference. They clearly communicated how they could help programs like ours and walked us through the grant application process. They kept regular correspondence with us before, during, and after the grant process was complete.”
“After speaking with the Gleneayre Equestrian Program and understanding the issues they faced, we felt the need to assist so ultimately participant youth could develop character, learn ethics and responsibility, grow physically and emotionally, and discover themselves,” said CFSJ Executive Director Andy Fraizer.
The Gleneayre Equestrian Program
The Gleneayre Equestrian Program exists to provide a hands-on, experience-based learning environment for people in difficult situations, including children, families, and military personnel. We believe that the powerful connection between people and horses is transformational. Through horsemanship, we develop character, learn ethics and responsibility, grow physically and emotionally, and discover ourselves. Our own lives improve as we improve those of our horses. We focus on people and horses that are poorly served by more mainstream resources and programs. We are committed to children facing challenges at school and at home, to families struggling with the unique demands of military life, and to service members in need of support. In particular, we know that all children have the potential to become healthy, active, and productive young adults, and our horses help us get through to those who are otherwise hard to reach. We house a diverse group of donated horses to our program that are safe for interaction with children. We provide a caring, happy home for horses whose show careers are over, but who have lots of life left in them. Learn more about the Gleneayre Equestrian Program at gleneayreequestrianprogram.org/.