Whom We Serve

The people who come to High Hopes represent all ages and backgrounds. The majority of our participants are between the ages of 3 and 14, some are in their 80’s. Most participants have varying degrees of cognitive, physical, behavioral, psychological and sensory disabilities. There is no “typical” High Hopes participant, as programs are designed to benefit individuals with a wide variety of disabilities.

The primary disabilities include autism, attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, developmental delay, mental retardation, visual and hearing impairments, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amputation. Many of the children and adults we serve including disadvantaged young people from inner cities have learning or behavioral disabilities. Our summer camp program provides an opportunity for an inclusive equestrian day-camp experience for children. We also serve our community through school programs, field trips and experiential learning opportunities provided on-site through our outreach programs.

Our participants come to us from special-education classes at local schools, as referrals from physicians, social service agencies, group homes, rehabilitation or vocational training centers, and through individual referrals by other participants. Our goal is to offer our programs to everyone who can benefit from them, regardless of financial means, and to make direct scholarships available to those who need them.