TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and TUFF Therapeutic Riding Foundation Help Anti-Human Trafficking Program for At-Risk Youth

TELUS Community Boards donate $10,000 to give trafficked youth an opportunity to participate in equine therapy for mental health with the TUFF Therapeutic Riding Program.

Loretto, Ontario, May 6 2026 – TELUS Friendly Future Foundation has donated $10,000 to contribute toward TUFF Therapeutic Riding Foundation to provide therapeutic riding for youth at-risk in Ontario. This program empowers youth to address their mental health, and with the help and support of our volunteer team and horses, change their lives. Participating youth address specific treatment goals and issues, including trauma, depression, anxiety and anger. 

“Anti-human trafficked youth experience double trauma leaving them extremely vulnerable," says Ellen Downey, CEO of Tuff Therapeutic. "The healing power of horses through their unconditional support and non transactional nature allows these youth to work on healing themselves, regain their self esteem, identify strengths, and regulate their emotions. All this and finding connection helps to change their trajectory into positive futures!”

This amount will contribute to an Anti-Human Trafficking program, which will allow TUFF to support 25 more participants over the next two years.

“Through our partnerships with charities supporting at-risk youth, we understand the challenges young people in these situations face,” said Nimtaz Kanji, Executive Director of TELUS Friendly Future Foundation. “We are proud to be able to support TUFF Therapeutic Riding Foundation, with a Community Board grant in order to help them create the opportunity for more participating youth in the program.” 

For more information on TUFF Therapeutic Riding Foundation and their Anti-Human Trafficking program, please visit, https://www.tufftherapeuticriding.com/, and for more information on TELUS Friendly Future Foundation visit friendlyfuture.com.

The TUFF Therapeutic Riding Program  was established in 2001 to promote the mental health of youth at risk by providing a structured therapeutic riding program. The program proudly received their charitable status in 2021, allowing the program go grow and expand. 

The equine therapy provided is a successful, non-traditional form of mental health treatment to which this population responds well, an effective positive alternative to formal modes of therapy.

Being a youth at risk is a root cause for poverty, addiction, violence, suicide, human trafficking, and dependency on social services and/or interaction with the criminal justice system. Participating youth often face a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. the therapeutic riding program can change this trajectory.

The Tuff program is designed using a 10-week model that has been specifically tailored to youth at risk. The youth attend weekly for approximately 3 hours. We also provide a 5-day intensive model that is designed for youth who have experienced substantial trauma, such as anti-human trafficked youth. Each youth is matched with a horse and volunteer who partner with them for the duration of the program. Participating youth address specific treatment goals and issues, including trauma, depression, anxiety, anger etc. They also learn basic horsemanship and riding skills. The mental benefits include, but are not limited to emotional regulation, impulse control, empathy, positive problem solving, emotional maturity, and anti-anxiety strategies. 

TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is a Canadian registered charity that believes all youth, regardless of circumstance, deserve an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. That is why we’re committed to giving youth the opportunity to belong. By funding more than 500 charities each year that provide education and health programs, many enabled by technology, along with providing educational bursaries, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is helping more than two million youth in communities across Canada build skills, confidence and feel a sense of belonging. In 2023 alone, we provided more than $9 million in grants to 550+ charitable programs across Canada, and close to $2 million in bursaries to 400+ post-secondary students experiencing financial need and who are committed to making a difference in their communities. 

For more information on TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, visit friendlyfuture.com