Grant Awards - December 2016

Nixa Community Foundation Grant
The HAY Foundation was awarded a grant from the Nixa Community Foundation in the amount of $3,735.  This grant will provide the opportunity for 9 children in Nixa who are Wards of the State, in the custody of a guardian or currently in Foster Care to participate in the 8 week Horsemanship Lesson Program in 2017.
Between January 1 to October 1, 2016, 25 children who were in Foster Care or were in the care of a court appointed guardian completed or were enrolled in the 8 week H.A.Y. Foundation Horsemanship Lesson Program.  These children had been removed from their biological parents for multiple reasons (i.e. physical or sexual abuse, neglect, homelessness, addiction, behavioral noncompliance and parental addiction, death or imprisonment etc).  The Nixa Community Foundation grant for $1,800 awarded to the HAY Foundation in 2015, assisted with the partial cost of 9 of these children this year.
This is a thank you note written by a high school girl to her sponsor in September, 2016:
“I just wanted to say thank you.  I’m a foster kid, and there’s barely anyone willing to donate anything.  I loved the horses.  My horse was Tonka.  I’ve been trotting and walking with him.  I was kinda scared of trotting.  But I really loved the experience.  I really appreciated the donation.  I’m really grateful for the donation.”

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Finley River Community Foundation Grant
The HAY Foundation was awarded a grant from the Finley River Community Foundation in the amount of $532.  This grant will help provide Horsemanship Clinics to children in Eastern Christian County.  Many children who have graduated from the 8 week Horsemanship Lesson Program have taught their peers in Horsemanship Clinics held at their school or at Laurel Arena.  . Horsemanship Clinics are taught by H.A.Y. Foundation Instructors and former or present H.A.Y. Foundation students with the assistance of a full grown horse in a round pen, miniature horses, or a life size model horse (when weather doesn’t permit the use of live horses)
 
Horsemanship Clinics have educated more than 3,600 local children in the past 3 years.
 
Date Range                                                         Approximate number of students participating in clinic
September 2013 to May 2014                     1,687
September 2014 to May 2015                     1,230
October 2015 to June 2016                           720

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