The Aspen Effect is one of the fastest-growing nonprofit organizations in Douglas County, where there continues to be a youth mental health crisis. Youth in Douglas County experience mental health crisis at a rate greater than the national average.
Now operating from Happy Dog Ranch in Sedalia, Colorado, The Aspen Effect believes that all youth are strengthened by authentically connecting with people, animals and the outdoors. Their mission is to create youth interactions that strengthen resilience and leadership to help prevent mental health crisis.
The Aspen Effect accomplishes this by matching youth with adult volunteer mentors and providing them with a unique ranch animal experience. Founder and Executive Director Jerry Van Leuven shares, “Something magical happens when a mini horse is able to remove emotional barriers and leave a youth standing next to a caring adult they’ve learned to trust.” Check out https://theaspeneffect.org for more information!