With funding support from the Read Family Foundation and Hunkapi Programs, an East Valley equine therapy farm has officially finished renovation of its new Read Education Center.
The Read Family Foundation donated $150,000 for the renovation of an existing ranch building on the 10-acre Scottsdale farm that will now be an education, training and community event center. Haris Electric provided the heating and air conditioning unit for the space.
“We are honored to have contributed to the opening of Hunkapi’s new educational center,” said Larry Read. “This will be the ‘Heart and Centerpiece’ of the program, consisting of a training and community event facility and a classroom to be used during times of adverse weather for our students. On behalf of the Read Family Foundation, we’re grateful that our grant made this possible for all the people helped by the farm.”
The renovated building will provide a creative learning space for children with special needs, further staff and volunteer training and development, and host workshops and community enrichment events. It will also serve as a meeting space for first responder support groups and somatic touch and healing programs for Arizona Oncology and children with PTSD and autism.
“We have a growing wait list of over 50 Maricopa County youth seeking weekly services with diagnosis of ADD, AD/HD, autism and PTSD. To meet that need we must begin the recruitment, onboarding and intensive training to become a ‘Hunkapi Programs Approved’ facilitator," said Schaad. “This renovation and completion of the space will fully allow us to educate and train practitioners and volunteers so that we can meet the need.”
It is anticipated that more than 1,500 children will utilize the space over the course of a year.
For more information about Hunkapi Programs, visit Hunkapi.org.
