Posted 2/24/2023
In December 2022, Veterans who are homeless and currently residing at Merakey’s Fresh Start transitional housing program in Coatesville, PA began visiting the Spirited Breeze Care Farm in Elverson. These visits were made possible through the Merakey Foundation Impact Grants, which focus on projects that invest in transformative ideas that support Merakey’s strategic initiatives.
The Veterans enjoy spending time at the farm grooming and walking dogs, horses, sheep and goats on the grounds of the farm or in the woods. The staff at the farm teach the Veterans about proper animal and garden care through hands-on training. The farm also offers yoga and sound baths.
This project is designed to develop positive social and coping skills for the Veterans served. Research shows that participating in animal assisted therapy can positively influence participants’ mental health. Reported improvements to mental health include a decrease in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, and an increase in use of coping and social skills. The hope is that the positive effects of a therapy farm help individuals to secure and maintain independent housing as a result of increasing their self-efficacy, coping skills and social skills, and decreasing symptoms of their mental health diagnoses.
