News

Grantee News Archive

2008

Fieldstone Farm (Kirtland, Ohio) - The successful collaboration of Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center and Geauga County Educational Service Center has resulted in a unique educational environment for students with emotional disabilities. Gaitway High School, nearing completion of its facility expansion will permanently house the full academic program, which meets the Ohio Department of Education standards. Its model of experiential learning opportunities and hands-on application of the subject material is the only program of its kind in the country. The success realized in the first three years of the program has been phenomenal, including significantly reduced behavioral and disciplinary problems, improved attendance rates and grade point averages, and a 100% graduation rate!
www.fieldstonefarmrc.com

Island Dolphin Care (Key Largo, FL) which provides dolphin-assisted therapy to children with special needs, has begun providing dolphin therapy as part of the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS) at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. SUDS is designed to improve the lives of injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers were recently able to enjoy the dolphin experience at IDC. www.islanddolphincare.org

North Union Farmers Market (Shaker Heights, Ohio) recently opened a farmer's market at the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesdays from 11:30 - 3:30. The market makes fresh locally grown produce, meats and other items available to Cleveland's central neighborhoods of Hough and Fairfax as well as to the Clinic's employees.
www.northunionfarmersmarket.org

Mercy Neighborhood Ministries (MNM) (Cincinnati, Ohio) was created by the merger of three organizations:

• Mercy Connections, providing educational programs, tools and support to help individuals break the cycle of poverty in their lives;
• Healing Connections Associates providing home health care services for the elderly and employment and support programs for women seeking self-sufficiency; and
• Sisters of Mercy H.O.M.E. Program, providing in-home services for the elderly, poor and people with special needs.

According to Sue Kathman, E.D., while continuing the work of the three predecessor agencies, the new structure will allow the agency to respond to other unmet needs of the community. "Mercy Neighborhood Ministries will provide better-coordinated, more cost effective and more efficient services to benefit thousands of people in the area."
www.healing-connection.org