Second Star Farm and Wildlife Habitat strives to provide our services free of charge to qualifying community members. However, without your generous support, we are unable to sustain that model or grow our operation to reach, even more, deserving individuals.
How does my donation help?
We are sometimes asked if smaller donations are actually helpful; individuals may feel guilty or embarrassed that they can’t offer more or are simply exhausted by being asked to donate money to yet another cause. Our answer to this question is always a resounding YES! Every little bit helps. Small donations add up, making a huge difference in our ability to provide care to our animals, and offer services to the community.
As examples:
— $10 a month ($120 a year) allows us to purchase 3 months’ worth of anti-inflammatory medication to help some of our elderly horses remain comfortable.
— A one-time donation of $25 allows us to buy more seeds for our community gardens, which in turn will allow us to provide even more fresh produce to local food banks.
Our Big Goals:
Right now, we are a small organization, but we aspire to do big things! Here are some of the larger projects we hope to accomplish over the coming years. If there are specific projects you are passionate about, and would like to donate towards those goals, you can make a note with your donation, and we will earmark those funds for that project.
1 – A riding ring: Right now, we hold our lessons in a grass ring. However, with the persistent droughts in our area the ground gets extremely hard, making it difficult for the horses to work comfortably. Installing a riding ring with improved footing will allow us to offer a more extensive lesson program and provide increased comfort for our equine companions. (Estimated cost $10,000 – $15,000)
1A – Adding members to our herd: In order to expand our operation to support even more people, we need to grow our herd, which requires us to find safe, reliable mounts. Our goal is to add 1 horse every year over the next 3 years (Estimated costs: varies).
2 – Community Garden: Our goal is to establish a half-acre organic vegetable garden to provide fresh produce to local food banks. This will require us to rent equipment and purchase deer fencing, rain barrels, and seeds/seedlings. (Estimated cost: $2500-$3500)
3 – Pollinator Garden: In addition to establishing and maintaining naturalized wildlife spaces, SSFWH aims to establish a half-acre organic pollinator garden populated with native flora to attract pollinators such as bees, birds, bats, and butterflies. While we aim to include plants that will naturalize in this space, the initial costs will require us to rent equipment, and purchase rain barrels and seeds/seedlings. (Estimated cost: $1500-$2500)
In-Kind Donations:
SSFWH also accepts in-kind donations including farm and garden equipment, riding gear, equine supplements/feed/hay, and other items. If you are interested in donating, reach out to us today!
Volunteer Opportunities:
Are you interested in volunteering? Contact us to learn more about upcoming projects that could use your help!