Helping Horses Help Kids & Others 2021

2021 Therapy Animal Derby

Fundraising Goals

PBJ Connections has a goal of raising $60,000 through the HHHKO Therapy Animal Derby. Hitting this goal is critical to our mission, as this event funds a quarter of our annual budget, and we are setting records every month as more and more people are seeking our services. This will be our second year on this fun and exciting virtual platform, and last year we exceeded our goal! Please consider forming a team around one of our therapy animals, or join one of the teams already up and running. With all of us working together, even as we are competing to reach our goals first, we will do amazing things for mental health in our community. You can start fundraising anytime, but we will have an official kick-off Virtual ‘Live’ Event on July 1, 2021. The event will end with a final ceremony on September 30, 2021.

Where the Money Goes 

PBJ Connections provides professional behavioral health therapy to children, adults and families through horses, counseling and nature. We commit to serving all who need mental health services, regardless of their ability to pay. As a locally operated non-profit, nearly all funds raised go directly to providing programming. The money raised will support the following programs. The teams are named for our therapy animals to generate a fun “horse race” atmosphere but the animals themselves do not receive the funding as they are already cared for by private owners!

• CONNECT Program: Provides individual and family Eagala model EAP. Clients are able to use health insurance to cover a portion of the cost and scholarships are awarded for those who cannot pay. Clients are not turned away due to an inability to pay.
• A PONY Program: Provides Eagala model psychoeducational groups to youth from local schools. Youth work on leadership skills such as positive coping skills, positive communication, teambuilding, and group dynamics.
• Office Sessions: Provides traditional talk therapy sessions out of our Pataskala location as there is a distinct lack of mental health providers in Pataskala. In 2020, to address additional need due to Covid-19, we added a telehealth option.
• Family Coaching: Provides a six-week intervention for families wanting to improve the way their families communicate and function, using the Eagala model.
• On Mission: Provides individual, family and group Eagala model equine-assisted psychotherapy for Veterans and First Responders.
• Healing Connections: An intensive multi-day immersive experience to meet the needs of adults who have experienced trauma.
• Recovery Connections: Provides Eagala model equine-assisted psychotherapy to groups receiving treatment at local substance abuse treatment facilities.
• Healthy Expressions: An expressive arts group program facilitated by a mental health professional with expertise in the arts.  Participants are challenged to create a variety of projects targeting insight, healthy self-expression and emotional regulation, and then to process their work with a group.
• Research: PBJ Connections is partners with researchers, primarily out of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, to provide program evaluation and research on Eagala model EAP.