(Southwest Florida) Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy, Inc. (SMART) received a $4200.00 grant from the Bill and Maryann Vinall Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation. The grant will be used to provide the SMART horses with their required nutritional feed supplements that support healthy hooves, coats, digestion, and joints. This grant will allow the organization to meet its annual supplement requirements which will keep the horses in the best of health and at high performance levels.
“Keeping the SMART horses healthy and happy is vital to the work we do. Our therapy horses deserve the best possible care and the generosity from the Bill and Maryann Vinall Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation helps to make that possible. A year’s worth of supplements is outstanding and we are incredibly grateful,” said Brandi Ezell, executive director of SMART Inc.
It is grants such as this one that enables SMART to continue to provide the maximum number of horses for their program as well as a forever home for these beloved equines.
About the Bill and Maryann Vinall Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation
Vinall and her husband Bill retired in Bradenton in 2000, and in 2001 became Legacy Members at the Manatee Community Foundation, in 2013 their bequest created the Bill and Maryann Vinall Fund to support animal welfare programs, as well as wildlife rescue and “therapy” programs such as service dogs, horseback riding therapy programs, and therapy programs featuring pets visiting nursing homes and senior residences.
About SMART
Established in 1987, Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy (SMART) is a non-profit organization that provides horseback riding, carriage driving and equine-assisted activities for individuals with disabilities. Located in eastern Manatee County, SMART is a mostly volunteer organization that serves over 650 individuals with disabilities each year, including people with a variety of challenges such as autism, attention deficit disorder, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, as well as individuals with terminal illness, emotional or mental health conditions, and hearing, speech or vision impairments. Among the activities offered are therapeutic horseback riding and driving, a literacy program, and programs for veterans, women with breast cancer, at risk youth and teens, and victims of human trafficking. Volunteers age 14 and over are welcome to join the organization at any time after completing an orientation and training program.
About Manatee Community Foundation
Manatee Community Foundation works together with philanthropic individuals and businesses to achieve lasting good in Manatee County. Now with $37 million in assets, the Foundation is home to more than 200 impactful funds that address opportunities in our community in the areas of human services, health, animal welfare, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement. Since its founding in 1998, Manatee Community Foundation has awarded $18 million in grants and scholarships. For more information about the Manatee Community Foundation, visit www.manateecf.org or contact Susie Bowie, Executive Director, at (941) 556-5444.
SARASOTA MANATEE ASSOCIATION for RIDING THERAPY, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 Organization.
All Contributions are Tax Deductible. CH4398 65-0043354
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com
REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT,APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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