Improving the Quality of Life for Children and Families
Every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to grow and reach their full potential. For children with disabilities, there are challenges along this journey for themselves and their families. With the right support systems in place, these children can navigate and overcome such challenges.
In 1997, Louie Castriota and his wife Laurie recognized the need for such a support system in their community and decided to create Leg Up Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding center for special needs children. Six months after their vision was born, their daughter Brooke was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease that causes cognitive and motor function delays.
Like most parents, the Castriota’s searched for the best treatment options for Brooke. It was then that they discovered the lack of comprehensive and coordinated therapy services for special needs children in the area.
An opportunity presented itself to the Castriotas to expand upon their original plans for Leg Up Farm. The parents decided Leg Up Farm would go beyond serving as a therapeutic horseback riding center and instead be a one-stop, family-oriented therapy center for special needs children.
Dedicated to giving children a leg up in life, in 2010 Leg Up Farm opened the only pediatric therapy facility in the country to provide physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy to patients. The facility also offers nutrition services, therapeutic horseback riding, counseling services and recreational and educational programming.
Leg Up Farm provides additional support for adults with special needs through Able-Services, their vocational and day program. Housed in a former commercial greenhouse, Able-Services uses horticulture to drive change and positively impact its participants’ lives.
Since opening, Leg Up Farm has worked to help improve the lives of more than 3,500 individuals through customized programs. From the beginning, Louis Appell, Jr., supported Leg Up Farm’s vision to help improve the quality of life for children with disabilities.
The Powder Mill Foundation has continued Mr. Appell’s passion and legacy for helping improve the lives of others by playing an essential role in Leg Up Farm’s growth through monetary contributions and moral support for its mission.
We are grateful for Mr. Appell’s love for his community and his support for Leg Up Farm. Generous contributions from The Powder Mill Foundation have fostered Leg Up Farm’s strategic initiatives that work to promote sustainability and growth of the organization. Because of him and the foundation, we continue to champion opportunities for children with disabilities to grow and reach their full potential.
Louis Castiota, Founder and Board Chairman of Leg Up Farm
