ISLANDIA, NY — A $20,000 grant will help Pal-O-Mine Equestrian provide inclusive summer programs for children and teenagers at its 13-acre Islandia farm, the nonprofit said.
The funding from the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation will support programs designed to give children of different abilities opportunities to spend time outdoors, interact with animals and develop social and practical skills.
Pal-O-Mine's Barnyard Buddies program serves children ages 2 to 5, allowing them to explore nature and interact with horses, miniature horses and other small farm animals in a supervised environment.
"We are deeply grateful to the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation for enabling us to offer programs to all children, regardless of their different abilities," Pal-O-Mine founder and CEO Lisa Gatti said.
Its Young Farmers and Work Study programs serve children and teens ages 6 to 17. Participants learn teamwork and responsibility through animal care, woodworking, gardening and other hands-on activities in a technology-free setting.
"Summer on Pal-O-Mine's 13-acre farm is about so much more than keeping kids engaged," Gatti said. "Here, they get to experience the natural world, free of all the gadgets and devices, so they can discover their strengths, build confidence, develop meaningful relationships and create memories that last a lifetime."
The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation works to expand access to inclusive summer experiences for children with special needs, with an emphasis on building confidence, social connections and a sense of belonging.
"We are once again delighted to contribute to Pal-O-Mine to help make a huge difference in the lives of the children they serve with summer camp opportunities," foundation co-founder Dan Gerstman said. "The leadership and staff care deeply about the children, making it a summer filled with excitement, and where better than at Pal-O-Mine."
Pal-O-Mine began in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.
The nonprofit now provides therapeutic equine programs for children and adults with disabilities, trauma survivors, veterans, first responders, people on the autism spectrum and others.
More than 400 students participate in programs each week at the Islandia campus, which is home to 25 specially trained horses, small farm animals and a therapeutic horticulture program that serves as a vocational internship site for people with disabilities.
More information is available at Pal-O-Mine.org or by calling 631-348-1389.
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