Good afternoon from Haven Acres, everyone!

We realize that all of our volunteers and participant families are eager to know what we are doing this year for Haven Acres with the unexpected issue of a worldwide pandemic going on. We will be attempting to personally call and visit with each one of you individually, but for now a mass email will have to suffice in order to get the information out to everyone as quickly as possible.

We have spent time in prayer, have met with our Haven Acres Board of Directors, have taken into consideration Jenifer’s nursing knowledge and experience, have consulted with quite a few other similar ministry ranches, and have reviewed the governor’s guidelines for outdoor recreational facilities prior to making our decision.

We understand that Haven Acres is an exciting and important part of your summer plans, and we truly are privileged to be able to provide this service. With that being said, however, it is our top priority to protect the safety and well-being of every person that steps foot on our property. Not only are we dealing with a very contagious virus situation, we are also just beginning a building expansion and arena expansion project at Haven Acres which creates a safety risk for visitors. In regard to COVID-19, disinfecting the ranch is next to impossible and social distancing is not compatible with safety around horses, therefore, Haven Acres will NOT be opening one-on-one sessions June 8^th. The Board of Directors unanimously agrees that we should not host traditional sessions for at least the first 6 weeks. The week of July 20^th is the halfway point of the summer, so we will reevaluate the situation near the beginning of July and will update everyone as decisions are made.

Though we know this is very discouraging news, we are earnestly trying to figure out some ways we can reach out to each of our participants and volunteers in the coming weeks. We are considering some virtual horsey visits, “drive-by” visits, or weekly Facebook Live updates of the ranch. We will be sure to contact participants and volunteers and when activities are being offered. We hope you understand that it is our hope to resume programming as soon as possible.

Please keep an eye out on Facebook, Instagram, and our website for updates. Also, we are asking whomever is able to donate one can of Lysol spray or disinfectant wipes to the ranch to help supply us with the necessary tools when we are able to reopen. If each one donates one, we should have enough, but we currently are unable to purchase these items in the quantity needed. If you’d like to donate, feel free to drive up and leave it on our front porch. (2820 245^th St E Hampton, MN 55031)

Finally, be on the look-out for the Spring newsletter. It is due to arrive in your mailboxes in the next 2 weeks. There’s an exciting story in there about a God sized blessing to Haven Acres! You’ll want to hear about it!

Thank you all for your patience! We hope to be in touch soon!

We had an unforgettable night at the Haven Acres Gala last Saturday. We were so blown away by the support and generosity shown by so many amazing people!

Here’s a bit of a highlight reel:

We are so grateful to the Minnesota Horse Council for providing the funding for us to build a new horse shelter for one of our horse paddocks. Though we have 9 stalls in the barn, three of them are makeshift stalls which were originally used for hay storage. As a result of the lost space for hay, we are currently storing hay in the indoor arena. The additional horse shelter frees up space in the barn which enlarges the riding arena space, allowing more sessions to be held in the off season as well as providing more freedom to begin conditioning horses for the upcoming season.

In addition, this horse shelter will save time and money. For example, it reduces the need to purchase stall bedding and frees up time for the staff and volunteers. Time that would be spent cleaning stalls, filling hay bags, and bringing horses in and out of the barn will be spent on more worthwhile things that help the kids and animals we serve.

Lastly, most of the horses prefer to remain outside with the herd. Having another shelter gives the horses the option of remaining with the herd and yet gets them out of the elements. It ultimately creates the best possible environment for the horses, adding to their joy and fulfillment at Haven Acres.

We are grateful to the Minnesota Horse Council for supporting Haven Acres!

Giving Tuesday is this Tuesday and we could use your help! If Haven Acres has impacted you or your family there’s a couple things you could do to help.

First, you could post a picture at Haven Acres on social media and tag our Facebook page and #GivingTuesday. Explain how Haven Acres has impacted you or your family, and ask people to consider donating on Giving Tuesday.

Second, you could create your own fundraiser! Raise support from your friends and family who may have never heard about Haven Acres before. This has been a SUPER helpful way to gain support for #GivingTuesday in the past. If you could help in this way, create your own fundraiser through this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/havenacresmn/.

Thank you all for your support of Haven Acres! We’re so excited to serve you all again next year!

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS, and for the first time ever, a Haven Acres supporter is hosting a Pampered Chef party in which proceeds will go to Haven Acres! It’s simple. Click the following link, place your order, and Haven Acres will receive a portion of the profit.

https://www.pamperedchef.com/party/havenacres?fbclid=IwAR17gIxEwzvoKP83onzdEwJWCeeg14MJEAPcnbFoo34erPVWmGf6S-ehP9Q

Thank you so much for your support of Haven Acres! We truly appreciate every single gift.