Inclusivity

I love to talk about my tiny world changers. They always impress me with their capacity for kindness, intelligence and empathy. One aspect we focus on here, is acceptance and inclusion. For ALL.

Animals come to our rescue with physical disabilities, neurological impairment, behavioral, emotional or mental health difficulties to overcome. Kids come to our program from all walks of life, all ages, with all the same things! We have not only built a safe space for them, but a place for kids to learn about acceptance, inclusivity, and empathy.

Sometimes when we see someone who has a challenge our first reaction is to have sympathy, or even feel a bit uncomfortable, unsure how to react or how much to help. I think it's important kids are not only exposed to allllll different people and animals, but learn appropriate ways to work together.

Being able to see someone who is different and who is facing challenges you may not have ever imagined, feeling bad doesn't do much for anyone. But understanding their abilities, empathizing with how they feel, supporting each other where we need help, and recognizing the strength to persevere through these challenges, that's where we see growth and partnerships develop.

Living with extra challenges is difficult, but doing it with a community who is understanding, loving and supportive can be the difference between surviving and thriving. We believe this is a vital series of life lessons for young people to learn. To learn to treasure differences as something precious to grow with.