I hope this message finds you and your loved ones healthy and thriving. As 2023 draws
to an end, I am thrilled to share with you some highlights from our year here at Ruby’s Home for Good.
After celebrating our 5th Anniversary in October of 2022, we welcomed 2023 with a commitment to growing our presence and impact in our local community. Our small but mighty team set out to share the benefits of our unique approach to horse and human wellness -- to the tune of hosting 17 community engagements and participating in 21 offsite events. We met with 19 local youth and veteran service organizations as we are determined to maximize our ability to serve those who need us.
These efforts have expanded our community connections, including bringing additional participants to our Veteran Horsemanship Program. Donors like yourself have been vital to making this program accessible to those who have sacrificed tremendously in service to our country. We remain committed to helping not only former service men and women but also their families and loved ones -- we recognize that the impact of service is felt throughout the family AND that personal well-being is largely impacted by one's social connections.
Speaking of wellness, we hosted our first Yoga and Horses event this summer. After an equally calming and invigorating outdoor yoga class, our participants learned first-hand how our partnership-based approach to horsemanship improves the wellbeing of both the human and the horse. Local partners like 7 Stones Yoga are a wonderful addition to our wellness community.
As you may remember, we began our youth program in 2022 and for the last year have offered beneficial horsemanship activities for the public through Play Day experiences, a Foundational Horsemanship Course, and summer mini camps. With the support of generous donors like yourself, we are now fulfilling a longstanding goal of our organization to serve youth in need – specifically, youth who have experienced family disruption, trauma, grief and/or loss. As you can imagine, these kids gain so much from spending time in nature with our kind and gentle horses. It is not lost on them that our horses have themselves experienced significant traumas -- the connections are true, beautiful, and incredibly impactful.
The Tomball Regional Health Foundation joined Ruby’s Home for Good as a funding partner for our fall programs, bringing life changing experiences to both youth and veterans in our area. We are so grateful that they, like you, see the benefit of what we do.
Together, we are all part of a team that makes our mission possible. Every donor, supporter, community advocate, and funding partner plays a vital role in our continued efforts to bring mutually beneficial relationships to people and horses. Together, we served 61 youth and veteran participants this year. That’s a 156% increase in participation from 2022, and nearly 3x our participation in 2021. As we continue to build to full capacity as an organization, this growth truly reflects the necessity of every individual contribution.
Together, we have more work to do. We need your help to offer our vital programs to veterans and youth in need in 2024. Will you join us with a generous year-end donation? Your gift will have a direct and lasting impact.
Thank you for your consideration and support. Warm wishes for a safe and happy holiday, from our “herd” to yours!