Horses Healing Hearts (HHH), a unique preventative education and equine assisted therapy program for children living with alcoholism and addiction will receive a $15,000 grant from the newly formed Jacobs Wellington Foundation this month. This generous grant will allow HHH Founder and Executive Director Lizabeth Olszewski to expand HHH’s reach and to continue to provide children in the program with the opportunity to learn valuable coping skills and to heal emotionally.
“We are delighted that the Jacobs Wellington Foundation has recognized the work that Horses Healing Hearts is doing through their generous donation,” Olszewski said. “They are making an investment in our organization that will allow at-risk children in Wellington to develop healthy behaviors and coping skills that will last a lifetime.”
The Jacobs Wellington Foundation was formed in February 2015 to facilitate the family’s philanthropic efforts in and around Wellington.
“The work that Liz and her team do with these children is truly inspiring,” Louis Jacobs said. “As equestrians, our family knows how special it is to have horses in your life and the healing power they provide. It is amazing to see these children having fun and learning positive life-coping skills, responsibility and confidence.”
Charlie Jacobs added, “The program Liz provides these young people is vital to the well-being of Wellington and the South Florida community. These children need a sanctuary, and we are excited to help Horses Healing Hearts offer them such a wonderful opportunity.”
HHH is the only nonprofit organization in the country that provides an equine facilitated learning program designed to help children dealing with addiction in their homes. HHH’s goal is to break the incredibly destructive generational cycle of addiction by helping kids develop healthy behaviors. As a result, the kids learn that even though they cannot control their parents’ addiction, they can control their own future based on their choices.
HHH meets weekly for prevention education sessions where the children participate in “circle time,” which is peer-to-peer counseling overseen by a certified Prevention/Mental Health Specialist. Afterward, all participants take turns riding. Before and after riding, they play games and do crafts with adult mentors/volunteers. Each week, over 50 children are served from the greater Palm Beach County community.
Olszewski continued, “Horses Healing Hearts would like to expand our relationship with the Jacobs Wellington Foundation, partnering with them for the long term to bring life-changing equine programs to children who are living with alcoholism and addiction.”
“Our entire family has deep roots in the equestrian world and the Wellington community, so a partnership with an amazing organization like Horses Healing Hearts seemed like a natural fit,” Katie Jacobs Robinson concluded. “They provide an unmatched resource for at-risk children in South Florida.”
About the Jacobs Wellington Foundation
The Jacobs Wellington Foundation supports programs that will have a significant, positive impact on the Wellington community. The foundation focuses on education, athletics, at-risk youth and preservation programs. For more information or to apply for a grant, please visit http://www.jacobswellingtonfoundation.org.
About Horses Healing Hearts
Horses Healing Hearts is a nonprofit that uses horses to help children of alcoholics and addicts. The participants come from homes where stress, anger and violence are the norm, and in fact, about one quarter of the children participating have lost a parent to suicide, overdose or jail. HHH is a compelling organization that assists children in changing their own lives. Because HHH provides a safe place for children to share and understand their feelings, learn they are not alone and be around the miracle of horses, it gives them the tools to not only survive addiction but to thrive. To learn more about Horses Healing Hearts or how you can help with donations of money or time, log onto http://www.HHHUSA.org, email Liz Olszewski at [email protected] or call (561) 713-6133.
[Source: Phelps Media]