Pandemic creates uncertain future for Colorado nonprofits
FRUITA, Colo. — Karen Huber knows first-hand the benefits of horseback riding.
Her son, who has physical disabilities, participates in the Grand Valley Equine Assisted Learning Center (GVEALC), a nonprofit that provides horse-based therapies to children and adults of all abilities.
Huber’s son is deaf, and doesn’t talk. But she said he’ll sign the word “horse” when it’s time to go riding. “And all of a sudden this huge smile appears on his face,” she says with a smile of her own.
Jay Muller, president and co-founder of GVEALC, loves hearing stories like this. “I’ve gotten to hear so many different generations talk about their stories,” he explained. But the pandemic’s impact on the nonprofit has Muller concerned about the future.
“To think that this could go away, that this would not be here anymore, would break my heart.”
GVEALC relies completely on donations from fundraising events.
“We’ve had 100% of our 2020 fundraising capabilities canceled because of COVID,” Muller said.
This lack of funding has left the organization struggling to stay afloat and pushing back the purchase of their new home at Moon Farm several months.
Home to a popular pumpkin patch, Moon Farm is a unique property settled just north of Fruita, Colorado, that functions as a time-capsule of sorts. Accompanied by historical artifacts, statues, and buildings—including Fruita’s first post office—the land has welcomed school field trips and curious visitors for generations. In 2019, Mesa County Mesa County commissioners placed the farm on its Registry of Historic Landmarks.
Since that designation, the owners knew such a property needed a special kind of owner, one that would preserve its history and continue building relationships between visitors and its four-legged residents.
GVEALC hopes to do just that. While plans have been in place for the purchase of the farm for some time, closing on the property had been delayed due to the lack of funding from in-person fundraising events. Until recently.
Music Under the Moon, a concert featuring singer-songwriter Chris Peterson, was GVEALC’s first fundraising event since the start of the pandemic. The organization hopes the show is the start of a successful year in covering operational overhead as they expand their program.
“There’s a few things in life that I think can touch people beyond words," Peterson said. "Number one, music. And horses, to me, [are] another thing that can reach people.”
Muller agrees. By making Moon Farm their official home, Muller plans to grow the therapeutic opportunities his nonprofit can provide. But GVEALC is not out of the clear. Like most farms and ranches, operational costs must be accounted for early on. He said they need nearly $60,000 to close on the property and be able to maintain it.
GVEALC will continue accepting donations through their GoFundMe page while more events are planned.
Matt Thornton is a multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS. He is based in Grand Junction. You can contact him at matthewthornton@rmpbs.org.