Human-Animal Alliance funds equine summer programs for underserved youth

The Human-Animal Alliance is giving $21,500 to two East Coast equine programs to help children from underserved communities and children with disabilities access summer camps. The grants aim to offset rising camp costs and expand horseback riding, therapeutic riding, and animal-care experiences in Philadelphia and South Carolina.

Why it matters: - Rising summer camp prices are putting enrichment programs out of reach for many families. - H-AA’s grants are aimed at widening access to equine programs that can build confidence, reduce anxiety, and support emotional growth. - The funding is targeted at children who are often excluded first when families face cost barriers, including children in under-resourced neighborhoods and children with disabilities.

What happened: - The Human-Animal Alliance announced $21,500 in combined grant funding for two organizations: Work to Ride in Philadelphia and Myrtle Beach Therapeutic Riding and Vaulting Club in South Carolina. - The grants will support horseback riding camps, adaptive equine programming, and hands-on horse experiences this summer. - The American Camp Association puts the average U.S. day camp cost at $87 per day.

The details: - Work to Ride will use the funding to provide full camp scholarships for 20 children from under-resourced Philadelphia neighborhoods. - Those children will attend horseback riding camp at Chamounix Equestrian Center. - The camp includes hands-on equine care education, introductory riding lessons, and instruction in safety, teamwork, responsibility, and animal behavior. - Myrtle Beach Therapeutic Riding and Vaulting Club will use the grant to help cover summer day camp costs for families that could not otherwise afford the program. - The South Carolina camp serves children with mental and physical disabilities, autism, sensory disorders, and other medical conditions. - Jackie Ducci, founder of The Human-Animal Alliance, said animals can open doors for children in ways that are hard to explain until seen firsthand. - Ducci said confidence grows, anxiety softens, and children begin believing in themselves differently.

Between the lines: - The grants fit H-AA’s broader strategy of funding grassroots programs that preserve and create human-animal connections. - The focus on scholarships and cost support suggests the organization is targeting access, not just program expansion. - The announcement also reflects a wider pressure point for families as camp costs rise nationwide.

What’s next: - The funded programs will run this summer, with scholarships and subsidized spots expected to increase participation. - H-AA says more information about its nationwide grassroots support is available at more information. - The organization says Jackie Ducci personally covers all overhead expenses, so donated dollars go directly to charitable work.

The bottom line: - H-AA is using modest grant funding to lower a practical barrier and bring equine experiences to children who might otherwise miss them.