Mission
The Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center provides therapeutic horseback riding and non-mounted activities to individuals with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional challenges in a safe, structured environment.
Ruling year
1990
Executive Direcor
Miika J. Rolett
Main address
176 Chimney Rdg
Burnsville, NC 28714 USA
EIN
56-1530138
NTEE code
Equestrian, Riding (N69)
Specialized Education Institutions/Schools for Visually or Hearing Impaired, Learning Disabled (B28)
Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers (P82)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Register now
Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center (ATRC) works with individuals with physical, cognitive and/or emotional challenges. Utilizing therapeutic horseback riding, non-mounted activities with horses and job training opportunities, ATRC seeks to help clients realize their potential and feel pride in who they are. Everyone has inherent worth.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Therapeutic Riding
Therapeutic horseback riding for school groups and individuals with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities.
Wounded Warrior Program
Mounted and unmounted activities for veterans
Silver Saddles
Therapeutic horseback riding for persons over age 55.
Jobs for All
Jobs training for young adults with physical and/or cognitive challenges that will help prepare them for future employment.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association 1990
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of lessons taught
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Therapeutic Riding
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
COVID greatly impacted how many lessons we taught
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Therapeutic Riding
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
All students receive subsidized services. Most receive additional sholarship help.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
ATRC seeks improved physical, cognitive and emotional health and strength in our clients. This is accomplished through therapeutic riding, ground lessons, mental health counseling, and classroom work, and jobs training.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
ATRC partners with horses to increase the impact of traditional physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, and classroom teachers. In addition, a new program is being developed to help individuals learn jobs skills and increase their chances for future employment.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
ATRC has 3 certified therapeutic riding instructors on staff. Additional certifications include Equine Assisted Mental Health and Learning, and Certification in Animal Assisted Therapy. We also partner with physical, occupational, speech and mental health therapists. Educators play an important role in the classroom setting.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
ATRC's board and staff constantly strive to improve the program and its outcomes. We have seen great improvement in many riders. In others, improvement is slow.
We are interested in increasing the numbers of veterans we serve and growing the mental health program.
All of the physical therapists who partner with ATRC have been through a Hippotherapy Level 1 course. We would like to have at least 1 therapist certified in Level 2.
We are working on making ATRC truly self sustaining, creating a program that is capable of paying a living wage instead of relying so heavily on volunteers. ATRC received a grant in 2017 for strategic and succession planning. The board has put many recommendations in place and is continuing to work toward implementing others.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
Who are the people you serve with your mission?
ATRC provides therapeutic horseback riding and non-mounted individualized programs for people with physical, cognitive and/ or emotional challenges in a safe, structured environment. We also provide a supported employment program for adults with developmental delays, addiction, mental health issues and more.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
-
What significant change resulted from feedback?
We are starting a program for women and children who are victims of domestic violence/sexual assault as this was identified as a need in the community. We have increased our mental health services for children who have been negatively impacted by Covid.
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
APPALACHIAN THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
Board of directorsas of 04/08/2023
Jan Sparks
Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center
Term: 2005 - 2023
Sally McCoy
John Hall
Carol Hilbert
Ed Blattler
Katie Bernstein
Eddie Faw
Charles Bierbauer
Meri Stella
Julie Spitzer
Jan Sparks
Michael Hopson
Cher Levine
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/21/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
Thanks for signing up!
An email has been sent to the address you provided. Click on the link in that email to get more GuideStar Nonprofit Profile data today!
(Don't see an email in your inbox? Click here to resend it.)
GuideStar Pro Reports
Report successfully added to your cart!
Want more data?
A GuideStar Pro report containing the following information is available for this organization:
- Email contact information
- Financial trends metrics for five most recent years 2022*
- Financial statements for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
- Letter of Determination
- Officer and/or Employee data for 2022
- Contractor and/or Paid Preparer data for 2022
- Board of Directors data for 2023
- *with the ability to download the data for 2022
Download it now for $125.
Need the ability to download nonprofit data and more advanced search options?Consider a Pro Search subscription.