08/30/2026
Today I got a little teary-eyed updating our Candid nonprofit profile. ❤️
View it here: https://app.candid.org/profile/9918954/hope-for-hooves-rescue-84-4317694
I went into it thinking this was just another administrative task on my very long nonprofit to-do list. But somewhere in the middle of it, I realized I wasn't just updating a profile. I was looking at the story of how far we've come.
I could see the growth. The programs we've created. The children we've served. The horses we've rescued and cared for. The mentors and volunteers who have stepped forward. The partnerships we've built.
And the dreams that once lived only in my head that are now actually happening here.
And that's when I got emotional. Because we didn't do this alone. Every bit of that growth has been possible because YOU believed in what we were doing enough to support it.
Whether you have donated, sponsored a child,
bought something from a fundraiser, shared a Facebook post, volunteered, prayed, or said to me, “I believe in your vision. Keep going”, YOU are the reason for our success!!
Little by little, year after year, those acts of generosity built something.They built Hope for Hooves.
This week alone, I have spent countless hours doing the parts of nonprofit work most people never see: updating our Candid profile, writing grants, developing programs, purchasing program supplies, documenting our impact, paying bills, and, yes, fundraising.
And I want to say something about that last one. Fundraising isn't something I'm ashamed of. It's part of running a nonprofit. 😃
When we ask someone to sponsor a child, we're not simply “asking for money.” We're asking our community to help make something possible that otherwise might not be.
Programs cost money. Horses require care 365 days a year. There are supplies, insurance, training, veterinary expenses, facility expenses, background checks, program materials and a hundred other things behind the scenes.
Behind every couple of hours you see us serving children at the farm are countless hours you don't see. Curriculum is written, mentors are recruited and trained, applications are reviewed, Grants are researched and written, expenses are tracked, outcomes are measured, records are maintained, horses are cared for....and funds have to be raised to make all of it possible.
One reason I spent so much time updating our Candid profile is because transparency matters to us. If you entrust Hope for Hooves with $5, $50, $500 or $5,000, I want you to be able to look us up. I want you to see what we're doing. I want you to know what we're building. And I want you to know that your support matters.
So yes, you'll see us fundraise. You'll see us apply for grants. You'll see us ask for sponsors. You'll see us tell you when the horses need hay or when a child needs a sponsor, because hope may be priceless, but providing it isn't free.
Today, looking back over the years, I was reminded of something even more important,
every time we've asked, YOU has stepped forward.
And when I look at how far Hope for Hooves has come, I don't just see what we have accomplished. I see what all of YOU have made possible. And that is what brought tears to my eyes today.
Thank you for believing in my vision and the work God has entrusted to us.
You are part of this story. ❤️🐴
xoxo,
Michelle
Hope for Hooves Rescue (EIN 84-4317694) — nonprofit profile, financials, and Form 990s on Candid.
