If you have not yet had the chance to visit our horses, riders, volunteers and staff within this website, we invite you to please do so. In this section, we want to explain how the program continues operating, growing and improving, and offering an ever-expanding number of services to an ever-increasing number of participants at costs that each individual can handle, while prices everywhere continue to rise.

What does it actually cost to provide these lessons? And how are they supported? In an effort to provide quality equine assisted activities to all interested participants, SMILES asks riders to contribute only a portion of the cost of their sessions; the balance being covered through fundraising events, and through donations or grants. Actual cost of providing each lesson is $54, however, students are asked to contribute only $17. For those who have difficulty meeting this financial obligation, scholarship funds are available. It is SMILES goal to find a way to accommodate all riders and assure that no one is turned away for financial reasons. The magic ingredient making this possible is “caring generosity”. It starts with those who give their time and talents to help others, and it spreads out to include hundreds of people who are willing to share their resources to make things happen for the best. This “caring generosity” comes in an assortment of packages, each wrapped a little differently… each offering help to a different aspect of the program. Here are many of the ways that people have found to help through their giving natures. The possibilities are endless, and we hope you will share your ideas with us.

Donation and Grant funding comes from individuals, service clubs, businesses, corporations, and foundations. Some of these funds specify a purpose or a particular project which they are being contributed to such as scholarships, development of our facility, care of our horses, our endowment fund, or the purchase of equipment. Others come unrestricted, to be used for the general operation of the program.

In Kind Donations are items which SMILES can make good use of, and again, they come from a variety of businesses and individuals in the form of used equipment, veterinary services, printing services, operating supplies, feed, horses, and food or gifts to be used at our many fundraising events.

Participation in the many events that SMILES holds, either as a sponsor or as a participant, will help to make each event financially successful and fun for those in attendance.

United Way in various areas support SMILES and, as time goes on, we hope to become a United Way Agency in every community that participates in equine therapy and recreational activities here at SMILES.

Fundraisers are often planned by groups, businesses, and organizations that choose to benefit SMILES. Our program has been the beneficiary of events such as walks/runs, trail rides, dinners, ride-a-thons, car washes, poker runs… and the list goes on. Giving and doing for others is an honorable thing to do. Sharing what you have, without causing hardship, makes our communities and the people in them stronger in so many ways. Beyond the obvious good feeling that comes from knowing that you have impacted somebody’s life, other benefits to giving also exist.

As a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, all contributions to SMILES are tax-deductible. Checks should be payable to SMILES. Many advertising opportunities exist as well, depending on event publicity, and within our newsletter, press releases, and website.

To see a list of most recent sponsors and contributors, check out our most recent newsletter, found in the downloads portion of this site.