Tucked away off of State Road 64 in Hardee County is a hidden gem, Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary. It is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing unwanted, abused, and neglected horses and burros. Founded in 2007 by Robin Cain, Sixteen Hands started out as a sanctuary where horses with no other option could come to heal mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is a safe place where they can go and live out their lives. There are 33 horses presently residing on the property. In 2019, Sixteen Hands established an adoption program for the horses who have graduated from the sanctuary’s services to find their forever home. The program enables the sanctuary to rescue more horses over time. It is a very special year for Sixteen Hands as it celebrates its sixteenth anniversary on September 27th. Thanks to the generous grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Sixteen Hands can now expand its efforts to raise awareness of the organization and its capabilities. It relies strictly on donations and volunteers. This year Sixteen Hands is looking to expand its services to more horses than ever. Those funds granted allow for a variety of events and initiatives, such as the following: A newly enhanced website, an investment of time and efforts into optimizing the sanctuary’s social media platforms, an open house celebration on Saturday, September 30th, 2023 for the 16th anniversary, Club 16: individuals can gift Sixteen Hands $16 on the 16th day of each month, custom merchandise for volunteers and to support the organization, such as t-shirts, December matching challenge where any donation will be matched throughout the  whole month of December, preparation for the 2024 Giving Challenge: each donation $25-$100 will be matched by  The Patterson Foundation, which has partnered with the Community Foundation to strengthen giving over the past eight challenges. If you would like to get involved, please visit sixteenhandshorsesanctuary.org. There you will  find ways to donate and volunteer.