Tender Little Hearts Mini Tales and Equine Assisted Services is a paid advertiser of Sonoran Living.
Enrich, Empower and Educate through the power of mini horses and donkeys
Tender Little Hearts has a unique niche in equine assisted learning and literacy development by transporting qualified miniature therapy horses and donkeys around the Valley to a variety of libraries, schools, child-advocacy centers, and anywhere else a child can benefit from their services. Tender Little Heart's innovative outreach is the only equine-based nonprofit in Arizona offering offsite literacy and reading programs. Their programs not only promote literacy and encourage reading, they offer comfort, joyfulness, empowerment, self-esteem and unconditional love while interacting with their miniature equines.
The rate of illiteracy has not changed in the US over the past 10 years. A child who is a poor reader at the end of first grade has a 90% chance of being a poor reader at the end of fourth grade. If a child is not reading at grade level by fourth grade, they are statistically likely to remain illiterate throughout their life. Through their programs, they work to transform these statistics by promoting literacy and encourage reading with young children during their early developmental age period so they will have the confidence and desire to build on their reading skills, which will ultimately enhance their lives.
The mission of their programs is to improve literacy, promote personal development, and encourage positive life choices. By providing these literacy promotion programs, they meet children where they are in their reading journey and encourage them to become a confident reader through the experience with the mini equines. The child builds confidence with an understanding listener, one who doesn't criticize, one who encourages the child to continue to read with the outcome goal of improving their reading level.
Since its founding in 2018, TLH has provided over 15,000 hours of volunteer service, providing 3-4 program visits each week, to enrich the lives of children, adults and seniors in Arizona. It is estimated the Mini Tales program currently reaches 3,500 children a year through various school, library, child advocacy center visits and special events plus an additional 2,000 seniors and veterans.
Tender Little Hearts does not charge for its services. This allows the underserved, lower social economic areas and Title 1 schools to easily and readily be served by their organization and the activities they can offer. The impact of their programs will carry over to their siblings and communities. Their online Mini Tales video and recorded books have the potential to reach thousands more as they are available 24/7 and free of charge.
Tender Little Hearts works to build productive relationships and make a positive impact in the lives of others, by inspiring hope and transformation through interactions with their miniature equines. They aspire to create an environment where every horse is given a purpose to enrich a human life, bring joy and comfort, and leave every person with a reason to smile. They are 100% volunteer supported and 100% of all funding received are directed to their programs.
Tender Little Hearts Mini Tales and Equine Assisted Services
(480) 318-3281
https://www.tenderlittlehearts.org
EIN 83-4236909
