To whom it may concern:

Shining Hope Farms (30-0067482) is a nonprofit healthcare provider whose mission is to enable children and adults to reach their full potential through the use of equine assisted activities and therapies. Our organization’s three locations serve the Charlotte Metro Area.

Founded in 2002 in response to the needs in the community to provide therapeutic services in a farm environment for individuals with disabilities, we have grown exponentially in the 20 years since. Our current programs include 1) Therapy Services (occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling services), 2) Therapeutic Riding, and most recently 3) Saddles & Salutes—an equine assisted therapies and activities program for Veterans. We serve 300+ participants weekly from 15 counties around Charlotte.

Our organization has achieved a great number of milestones over the past 20 years including a) becoming the leader in the hippotherapy treatment strategy in the Western Piedmont region of NC b) becoming a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center (Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International—the main global authority for equine-assisted activities and therapies), c) hosting national and international level training workshops, d) presenting at industry conferences, e) becoming a model and pro bono consultant to new organizations looking to start similar programs, f) being featured regularly in the media due to the positive measurable outcomes of our participants, and g) maintaining the GuideStar Exchange Gold participation level, a leading symbol of transparency and accountability.

Our biggest achievement however is the impact that we have made in the community by facilitating thousands of clients to reach medical and personal milestones over the years. Physically, we have helped these individuals learn to walk, to talk, to sit up, to run, to jump, to feed themselves, and more. They also gained independence and the physical and emotional skills necessary to play with their peers, engage with their families on a meaningful level, and thrive personally. We have helped so many clients to reach their full potential and become productive citizens in our community, all while keeping our services financially accessible to our local families, especially those that are low-income.

You can find out more about Shining Hope Farms at www.shininghopefarms.org.

The intent of this letter is to request donated items for our upcoming Annual Charity Golf Tournament on October 3, 2022 at Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club located at 7332 Kidville Rd, Denver, NC 28037. The event is a critical annual fundraiser for our nonprofit which serves community members with disabilities, mental health challenges, and Veterans at little to no cost regardless of their financial means.

You can learn more about our event at www.shininghopefarms.org/golf-tournament/

Thank you very much for your consideration of this request.