SARASOTA-MANATEE ASSOC FOR RIDING THERAPY INC
15217 HELMSDALE PL, LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL 34202 www.smartriders.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO ENRICHING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THROUGH THERAPEUTIC HORSE-RELATED PROGRAMS. TAGLINE: EMPOWERING LIVES THROUGH THE HEALING POWER OF HORSES.

SMART PROVIDES THE BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC RIDING, DRIVING AND EQUINE ASSISTED ACTIVITIES TO ALL ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS. WE SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ANY TYPE OF PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL OR COGNITIVE DISABILITY INCLUDING: CEREBRAL PALSY, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, DOWN SYNDROME, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, AUTISM, EPILEPSY, SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS, BLINDNESS, ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, HEAD TRAUMA, STROKE, LEARNING DISABILITIES, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS, ETC. INDIVIDUALS MUST BE AT LEAST FOUR YEARS OF AGE AND THERE IS NO MAXIMUM AGE. ALL OF THE HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS THAT ARE DEVELOPED DURING OUR THERAPEUTIC HORSE RELATED PROGRAMS PROVIDE THE PARTICIPANT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND STAMINA, IMPROVE BALANCE AND COORDINATION, IMPROVE GENERAL HEALTH, AND ACHIEVE A SENSE OF WELL-BEING. A RESPECTFUL AND AFFECTIONATE CONNECTION TO THE HORSE IS ENCOURAGED AND FOSTERED, AND TEAMWORK IS PROMOTED BETWEEN THE RIDER AND THEIR HORSE. INDEPENDENCE IS PROMOTED AND MULTI-TASK LEARNING IS ENCOURAGED, HELPING EACH INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY TO ACHIEVE DAILY LIVING SKILLS. WITH THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF OUR PARTICIPANTS IN MIND, AND CREATIVE CARING ON THE PART OF OUR INSTRUCTORS AND VOLUNTEERS, WE USE THE MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE, THE CONNECTION TO THE HORSE AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO HELP HEAL THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT OF EVERY SMART RIDER. SMART ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1. CELEBRATING 32 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY IN 2019. SINCE ITS BEGINNING IN 1987, SMART HAS PROVIDED 48,993 THERAPEUTIC RIDING LESSONS AND PROGRAM SERVICES TO 6,085 INDIVIDUALS. THROUGHOUT ITS 32 YEARS, SMART HAS BEEN A MOSTLY VOLUNTEER POWERED ORGANIZATION, AS WELL. 2. SERVING 458 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN 2019, SMART'S COMMITTED AND HARDWORKING VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER STAFF LOGGED IN OVER 14,000 HOURS IN 2019 3. MAINTAINING OUR STATUS AS A PREMIER ACCREDITED CENTER OF THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP, INT'L. SMART IS THE ONLY THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER IN MANATEE AND SARASOTA COUNTIES WITH THIS ACCREDITATION. 4. PROVIDING SMART'S HORSE SENSE LITERACY PROGRAM TO LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN SINCE 2010. CREATED FOR CHILDREN IN GRADES 3-5, THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE SHARING OF A BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT ONE OF OUR BLIND THERAPY HORSES: MAGIC, ONE SMART HORSE, BY JODY LYNN MCBRIEN. THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES THE DEVELOPMENT OF READING, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LANGUAGE ARTS SKILLS. IT ALSO ENCOURAGES THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMPATHY, COMPASSION, RESPECT AND TRUST THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH OUR HORSES. THIS PROGRAM HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF 136 CHILDREN IN 2019 AND INSPIRED 712 CHILDREN, SINCE INCEPTION, TO READ AND LEARN ABOUT MAGIC'S LIFE. 5. SERVING A TOTAL OF 487 LOCAL VETERANS SINCE 2009 BY PROVIDING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. IN 2014, WE LAUNCHED OUR WARRIORS IN TRANSITION PROGRAM, PROVIDING DAY WORKSHOPS FOR VETERANS FROM BAY PINES VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THE WIT PROGRAM'S EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP, TEAM BUILDING, AND PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. SMART HAS PROVIDED THIS FREE PROGRAM FOR 107 VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN 2019 AND 448 SINCE 2014. 6. PARTNERING WITH SELAH FREEDOM SINCE 2013 TO PROVIDE AN EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING INDUSTRY. IN 2019, 15 WOMEN PARTICIPATED AND 72 WOMEN HAVE PARTICIPATED SINCE INCEPTION. 7. PARTNERING WITH BEYOND THE SPECTRUM EDUCATIONAL CENTER SINCE 2014 TO PROVIDE A WEEKLY DAY PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES RIDING THERAPY AND EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES TO STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. IN 2019, 73 CHILDREN FROM BTS PARTICIPATED AND 293 CHILDREN HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM SINCE INCEPTION. 8. PARTNERING WITH THE MARK WANDALL FOUNDATION SINCE 2017 TO PROVIDE AN EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN, TEENS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS IN GRIEF. IN 2019, 58 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED AND 159 INDIVIDUALS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM SINCE INCEPTION. 9. PARTNERING WITH KRISTEN BOHAN, OTR/L SINCE 2016 TO PROVIDE A HIPPOTHERAPY PROGRAM FOR 13 CHILDREN. 10. PROVIDING A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL SIGNATURE EVENT THAT, FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS, HAS NETTED OVER 407,000 FOR SMART'S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

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