Dream Catcher Stables

We have four immediate goals.
1) to continue our program which is currently weather dependent. While the weather caused us to lose over 50% of our program days in 2015, In 2016 we reached an all time lesson high of 522 lessons due to good weather. Year end 2017 we blitzed previous totals with 665 lessons given. Weather and the immediate need to relocate shortened our lesson capability dramatically to 485 lessons in 2018. Limited program in 2019 due to construction demonstrated a comeback as the fall progressed. Program jump started in 2020 only to be shut down for 7 months due to Covid-19 and then reopened on a very limited basis.
2) to secure a permanent home. In 2018 we were forced to leave the land we had leased for 18 years a year earlier than planned. Without sufficient funds to purchase a permanent home we acquired a grazing license on 22+ acres owned by the City of Houston and Bush Intercontinental Airport. September 3, 2020 final construction approval was awarded. Currently we have all utilities, a portable building for office/training/restrooms and are going forward under federal, state, and local pandemic restrictions.
3) to meet our needs with fundraising. Immediately efforts are underway to secure the remainder of the 2021 budget and acquire $40,000 to construct the portable shelter for our herd. Then efforts will continue to locate and fund our forever home. Expectation is that we will need to raise $5,000,000. Everyone can help. We continue aluminum can collection with a goal of 80,000,000 cans to fund purchase of that forever home while helping save the environment. Through February 28, 2021 our shoe drive will provide income and help underprivileged peoples worldwide.
4) to accredit our program with Certified Horsemanship Association by December 31, 2021
5) to pilot the behavioral weekday program in school year 2022-2023 with the goal of full behavioral weekday program launching in school year 2023-2024. This wrangler program will assist local school districts in redirecting students from behavioral to regular campus life.

To achieve our goals we will:
1) Continue our in-house capital campaign including aluminum can recycling and a major garage sale.
2) Begin a major social media campaign in late 2021 with a goal of $2,000,000 in cash or pledges within a year of launch.
3) Assist in marketing of the Iron Horse Run which will benefit our capital campaign.
4) Continue to identify and approach potential donors and work toward acquisition of major capital grants. Prospectus updated by July 2021, delivered by hand or shipping service along with appropriate phone call requesting meeting.
5) Work to improve our board and provide consistent training for new board members and all volunteers as we move to our new facility.
6) Pilot a team building opportunity for the business community which will provide the revenue necessary to meet our annual budget.
7) Pilot a written plan for working with difficult students in Aldine ISD during the school day during the 2022-2023 school year, or before. Refine the plan and present it to targeted districts for their approval during the 2023-2024 school year.

Our all volunteer public charity has the ability to
1) allow volunteers to select the time and extent to which they commit ensuring that volunteers remain/become enthusiastic about and dedicated to our mission.
2) succeed on a minimal budget through careful shopping and a variety of in-kind donations (a large number of which are made anonymously or without documentation to us)
3) serve people regardless of ability to pay. Athlete families now are beginning to "pay it forward" in order to ensure that this successful program will always be here for them. They contribute approximately 8% of our annual budget yearly.
4) sustain itself demonstrated by completion of our 22nd year and continual growth of participants and volunteers without formal marketing.
5) provide personal growth for everyone involved.
6) expand our presence on social media and in the community as time allows using the information given by Professor O'Neal's Campaign Class at Sam Houston State University in the fall of 2016, that provided by the December 2018 Taproot Foundation workshop, Firespring in 2020, and our own board members.
7) reach further to garner additional sustaining donors.
8) a Founder and President with a never give up attitude.
9) continual planning, teaching, and encouraging of individual volunteers with a goal of developing a group of proteges to eventually redistribute the administrative and program duties currently completed by our founder.
10) trainings for volunteers as future CHA instructors expected to begin Summer 2021.

Celebrating our 22nd birthday this past August we
1) have made our current leased 22+ acres usable with bare bones facility - utilities, three cargo containers, an arena, sufficient fencing, and a 14'x60' portable building. The all-weather driveway and parking area is being donated by Cherry Construction to be installed as soon as weather permits. The land is ready for the proposed shed rows.
2) the airport permitting process was completed September 3, 2020 with Walter P Moore and H4 Architects and Engineers guiding us.
3) continue program with expansion planned. Before being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic our weekend lesson program had returned to full strength. Twenty athletes competed at Top Hands 2020 earning 4 first place belt buckles; 8 second, 7 third, 6 fourth, 9 fifth, and 11 sixth place trophies; and 7 participation awards. Covid-19 cancelled the 2021 Top Hands Horse Show and severely restricted our current lesson program.
4) continue to have new athletes and volunteers join us.
5) plan to strengthen our volunteer training as soon as we get our official temporary certificate of occupancy. We have added an abridged form of our policies and procedures manual which is required reading with signature proof. Current volunteers are being sent an email copy with the request that they return the signature page no later than the reopening of program.
6) Baker Botts continues to guide us through Covid-19 and beyond.
7) need a few good horses to support the growing program.
8) plan to review and upgrade our marketing and fundraising strategies this year.