SurreyCares Community Foundation has provided a $4,500.00 grant to the Society of Semiahmoo Animal League (Kindred Community Farm Sanctuary) to hold a Healing for Healers program for health workers to remediate the traumatic effects of working through the COVID-19 crisis.
Semiahmoo Animal League (Kindred Farm) is a leading non-profit in BC that utilizes Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) and Horticultural Therapy Activities (HTA) to affect positive change in the communities. Kindred Farm is a humane and compassionate environment where people, animals and nature come together to improve the emotional and physical well-being of all local community members. Since 2011, Kindred has developed healing programs for children, youth and adults. The healing programs at Kindred Farm include a farm sanctuary, which is a forever home for abused and neglected animals, a garden to nourish the body and soul, and a forest/natural habitat to teach members how to slow down, breathe deep and quiet the mind. The combination of these three ingredients has the power to heal trauma.
“The client’s knowledge that they are caring for a rescued farm animal that has found their forever home is a powerful healing tool.” Said Keryn Denroche, Founder and Director at Kindred Community Farm Sanctuary, “It is especially beneficial if the therapy farm animal has a similar story to that of the client.” Regarding how the Healing for Healers program works to support the COVID-19 front-line healthcare workers, Keryn explained that “When the animal's story resonates with the person, this accelerates the healing process.”
The grant is made possible through the Government of Canada's new $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund, which saw over $900,000 allocated to SurreyCares.
Christine Buttkus, Executive Director of SurreyCares, explained, "The COVID-19 crisis has increased the need for emotional and psychological support for front-line healthcare workers. This program provides much-needed support to the health workers to manage the negative emotions stemming from the crisis.”
We were also able to support Kindred Farms with one of our annual grants last year. In this short video, board chair Karen Conyers talks about the program.