News
July 15, 2015Non-Profit Provides Moo-ving Experience for Children who Have Experienced Trauma
On July 7 several neighbors in the Historic Stockade District noticed something they haven’t seen before, a very colorful cow standing in a parking lot off of Green Street. Pandora the Painted Cow was at Things of My Very Own, Inc. for the organizations first Sensory Exploration event of the season. Children played with scented rice, moon sand and explored several other sensory activities but painting a live cow gained the most attention.
“While the organization has held programs for child abuse victims for several years, this is the first time we have had a cow on-site. We knew that the children would be excited about the program but we had no idea how therapeutic the experience would be, especially for those with anxiety related disorders.” said Rayn Boncie, CEO/Founder of Things of My Very Own, Inc.
Pandora, now two years old, has been raised since she was four months old to interact with children of all ages and abilities. At Tuesday’s program children were given the chance to paint her with non-toxic, washable paint.
“I brought Pandora to your Things of My Very Own, Inc. because I could tell that they have the values that I like to promote. I want to give children the opportunity to see cows in a different light, and do something they have never done before. Pandora and I work together to promote healthy interactions between animals and children in a way that encourages artistic expression. We are very excited about working with Things of My Very Own, Inc and the children they serve again in the future.” said Pandoras owner Stephanie Arndt.
Things of My Very Own, Inc. (TOMVO) is a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention services to children who have been impacted by extensive abuse and/or neglect. We also provide services to children at-risk of a Child Protective Services intervention solely due to not having items necessary for sustainability. The organization works to keep children with their non-abusive family members and out of the foster care system whenever possible.
For more information about Things of My Very Own, Inc and the programs it sponsors please contact Rayn Boncie at 347.423.8877 or visit us on the web at www.tomvo.org.
