Starbrite
9155 Barrel Factory Road
Hastings, FL 32145
904-631-8816
Make a Donation
StarBrite is able to help disadvantaged children because of financial assistance from our sponsors. Please join them and help us to continue our program!
About StarBrite
At StarBrite we focus on helping children who are in crisis due to social, emotional and physical handicaps. Regardless of the cause behind the crisis these children are facing, we help these children to feel better about their situation and encourage them to seek the enjoyment in life as well as to become productive citizens within our community.
At StarBrite we believe that strong, devoted relationships are an important ingredient for a contented heart. We witness time and time again, these children thriving upon the gift of the undivided attention and education given to them by our concerned mentors and the unique and special relationship with a StarBrite horse.
Programs for Children
StarBrite is a very unique and special community program run primarily by our dedicated volunteers. This enables us to provide our services to children at no cost to their care-givers. Our facility is centrally located in Hastings, Florida. We serve children throughout Northeast Florida.
StarBrite offers three distinct programs:
- In the Saddle- a one-on-one horseback riding program that teams up one child, one mentor, and one horse 100% of the time. This ensures complete hands on with the children and keeps our program extremely safe.
- Team Rehab- a working ranch program where children work in teams doing ranch chores and caring for horses in need of rehabilitation, training or attention.
- StarBrite Little Tails- a miniature horse program which introduces minature horses to children who have restrictive physical capabilities or are near the end of life.
Each StarBrite child is offered the opportunity to gain self confidence and a sense of pride through caring for "their" horse, learning and improving the multiple coordination and focusing skills required in good riding, and shouldering the shared responsibility of helping with age appropriate ranch chores.
The StarBrite team personally tailors each child's horse experience to fit his or her needs. Each horse-child pairing has the one-on-one attention of a mentor/volunteer at all times.
StarBrite serves a wide variety of children between the ages of 6 to 18. Our program helps children to develop leadership skills, horsemanship skills and an understanding of the importance of community contribution. Above all they learn that love, faith, and hope are available under any circumstances.
The StarBrite philosophy
StarBrite is a unique organization, teaching by demonstration the importance of values such as love, faith and hope. It is a warm and wonderful place where everyone is accepted.
We believe that the joy and the love of horses shouldn't just be for children who can afford them. All children should have the privilege of the healing love that comes from horses. That's one of the reasons we work so hard to make our program available. With your ongoing help, we can continue to provide this experience to children in need.