Wilmore Nonprofit finalist of $50,000 grant
Published 8:23 am Wednesday, August 14, 2024
- Mock-up design of what the Pony Van would look like. (Photo Submitted).
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Justin’s Place offers therapeutic horseback riding and animal interaction for children aged 3 to 12 with a disability or disorder diagnosis.
Located in Wilmore, Ky, the nonprofit offers several programs with certified instructors and trained volunteers to provide “unconditional acceptance, support, and encouragement,” to participants, according to the organization’s website.
On Friday, August 2, Kubota Tractor Corporation announced 20 grant recipients in its fourth annual Kubota Hometown Proud® grant program aimed at helping local nonprofit initiatives. This year, the Pony Van for Stable Moments project, nominated by Justin’s Place, received a $10,000 grant.
However, finalists of the grant in different regions of the U.S. will be put up for a public vote. The project with the most votes in each district will turn the $10,000 grant– which will fund needed supplies and resources for one year of the Stable Moments Mobile program– into a $50,000 grant, which will help the organization purchase the pony van.
According to the Kubota press release, Stable Moments empowers children exposed to trauma by teaching them “life skills through a relationship with a mentor and horse.” Justin’s Place overcomes barriers of payment and transportation by taking its program into local schools, bringing miniature horses into the community, which the organization said “has had a huge impact but has strained resources.” The release states that a pony van will make it easier and more efficient to bring ponies and barnyard animals to kids who need them more often.
“We need our community’s help! It’s between us and ONE other non-profit to win the $50k. We get 14 days to earn VOTES (sic) to be the big winner! This would be a huge blessing to Justin’s Place and our community,” said Allie Barnett, executive director of Justin’s Place
Votes can be cast daily at KubotaHometownProud.com from now through August 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CT. The winning community projects will be announced in September 2024.
