Dear HARTH Clients, Supporters, Donors, Volunteers, and Friends,
After a long and careful analysis of our current situation, the Board of Directors along with our small staff have made the difficult and heart-breaking decision to begin to wind down operations with the intent of closing our doors before the end of 2023. We are all deeply affected by this decision, and we know as the only PATH center in Burnet, Lampasas, and Llano counties, we are leaving a big hole in services for those with special needs and also for our veterans and their families.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were gaining considerable momentum. Unfortunately, we have never been able to fully recover from the effects of the pandemic. Our team tried to compensate. We created new programs, attempted new and different fundraising programs, and put our all into keeping HARTH alive. We have struggled with fundraising and have been unable to create an adequate income stream to sustain our organization. In addition, although we have a waiting list of clients that would allow us to add close to 80 sessions a month, we have been unable to find any additional PATH certified instructors (as is the case with many PATH centers) to accommodate the need.
Non-profits in the area are in ever-increasing competition for funding, staffing, and other resources. And at the same time, the economy is in an inflationary period, and we have seen drastic increases in our costs. We have been struggling for sustainability but with the reduction of donations and dramatic increase in expenses, it has become clear that HARTH is no longer viable. Every penny of donations we have received to date has been used entirely for our program expenses. Even with no paid executives and only 1 full-time and 2 part-time employees, we have not been able to meet our expenses. We are still accepting donations until we close our doors, all of which will be put into keeping our programs running long enough to allow our clients sufficient time to find other solutions.
We are humbled by all of the support we have received over the past 8 years and we want to once again thank all of you for the role you played in supporting HARTH Foundation and our mission “to enhance the health of people and our community through relationships with horses