Good Hope Equestrian & Regenerative Farm, Inc.

The mission of Good Hope Equestrian & Regenerative Farm, Inc. (GHERF) is to provide quality equine assisted and regenerative farming practices to children, youth, and adults with and without disabilities to enhance their independence, personal potential, and quality of life. Using the horse as its tool and its 270-acre facility as its classroom, GHERF is committed to developing quality equine and regenerative farming program services to meet the educational, vocational, recreational, and rehabilitative needs of the community. The goal of each program is to build upon the unique gifts of each individual, enabling them to successfully improve their body, mind, and spirit through the healing powers of the horse, organic food distribution and the knowledge of healthy living through regenerative farming practices.

ABOUT US

Good Hope was founded in 1999 with a vision of providing special needs populations with recreational, rehabilitative, educational, and community-based training programs that offer opportunities to increase the residents of South Florida independence and quality of life. Since its inception, Good Hope has provided evidence-based equine assisted programming to more than 8,200 children, youth, and adults with varying disabilities and those in convalescence from various pathologies. During its time in South Florida, GHETC offered a broad array of specialized programs that served over 400 clients annually. In 2020, Good Hope made the decision to relocate the organization to south central Virginia to expand its mission, ensure the sustainability of the organization and to provide our specialized services to the communities within the region.

Our specialized equine assisted activities are developed with a person-centered focus for all ages with various intellectual, physical, sensory, and emotional disabilities, including Amputees, Autism, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delays and disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities (ADD/ADHD), Prader-Willi Syndrome, Processing Disorders, Stroke, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Traumatic Brain Injury.

In July of 2021, Good Hope became a Virginia-based not for profit organization where the hope of healing the soul and the soil come together! The mission of Good Hope is to provide an inclusionary model for children, youth, and adults with and without disabilities and conditions quality equine assisted and regenerative farming practices designed to enhance their independence, personal potential, and quality of life. Using the equine as its tool and its 270-acre facility as its classroom, Good Hope is committed to developing equine and regenerative farming program services to meet the educational, vocational, recreational and rehabilitative needs of South-Central Virginia residents.

expanded its mission to include" preserve the environment by partnering with families to improve or instill healthy living practices through sustainable organic farming." Through educational seminars and onsite hands-on training we promote sustainable alternatives to the current slash-and-burn agriculture practices, which are damaging the soil and having negative effects on the environment. Through our multi-faceted programs, our participants will receive tailored training and technical assistance to aid them in these restorative farming practices.

Regenerative Agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, and enhances ecosystem services. Regenerative Agriculture aims to capture carbon in soil and aboveground biomass, reversing current global trends of atmospheric accumulation. At the same time, it offers increased yields, resilience to climate instability, and higher health and vitality for farming and ranching communities. The system draws from decades of scientific and applied research by the global communities of indigenous people, organic farming, agroecology, Holistic Management, and agroforestry.

Good Hope was founded in 1999 with a vision of providing special needs populations with recreational, rehabilitative, educational and community-based training programs that offer opportunities to increase the residents of South Florida independence and quality of life. Since its inception, GHETC has provided evidence-based equine assisted programming to more than 5,700 children, youth and adults with varying disabilities and those in convalescence from various pathologies. During its time in South Florida, GHETC offered a broad array of specialized programs that served approximately 400 clients annually. In 2020, Good Hope decided to relocate the organization to south central Virginia to expand its mission, ensure the sustainability of the organization and to aid the impoverished communities within rural south central Virginia. 

Our specialized equine assisted activities are developed with a person-centered focus for individuals ages 3 - 75 with various intellectual, physical, sensory and emotional disabilities, including Amputees, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delay, Specific Learning Disabilities (ADD/ADHD), Processing Disorders, Spinal Cerebellum Dysfunction, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Good Hope strives to ensure a positive and therapeutic learning environment tailored to each individual’s personal and rehabilitative needs. 

Our broad array of specialized programs will include: Equine Assisted Therapy and Activities, Educational Farming Sessions, Horses Helping Heroes & the Horsin' Around project which will serve foster children in need throughout South Central Virginia. GHETC will also continue to serve as training site for PATH, Intl. and American Hippotherapy Association to provide specialized workshops & certifications provide continuing education and certifications to professionals throughout the country.