Q&A Associates. located in Canaan Valley, WV, has big plans for programming throughout the next several months. The clients at Cabin Mountain Living Center and Journey Transitions for Young Men have begun to assemble multiple greenhouses to grow an array of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Along with the greenhouses, the clients have been cultivating the garden in preparation to plant seeds. The clients are also beginning to prepare a hydroponic system.

Clients at Cabin Mountain Living Center are bringing back Meals on Wheels this summer. Mentors and Director of Cabin Mountain, Kelly Pennington, help the clients prepare and deliver lunch once a week to local businesses in the community. “The clients take pride in Meals on Wheels and enjoy being able to give back to the community,” Pennington explained. “During the height of the Covid pandemic, our clients delivered meals to essential workers, and the program was a great success,” continued Pennington. The clients of Cabin Mountain are practicing real-life skills through the implementation of this program, which is the heart of the life skills curriculum.

The clients at Q&A Associates are eager to begin assisting with Saddles and Smiles, a non-profit organization providing equine-assisted learning experiences for children, teens, and young adults in the local community living with a variety of challenges. Angie Shockley, owner and CEO of Q&A Associates, founded this non-profit. “We utilize Saddles and Smiles with our young adult clients, and they experience many benefits. Equine Assisted Learning techniques allow the horse to be the teacher as clients learn boundaries, interpersonal communication, and compassion while gaining confidence and self-esteem,” said Shockley. The clients of Q&A also assist in the sessions for children and teens with diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, ADHD, spina bifida, behavioral and emotional dysregulation, and other challenges. Saddles and Smiles also hosts three-horse camps throughout the summer, and the clients of Q&A enjoy helping with the planning process and execution of the camps.

Having the clients of Q&A engaged with the kids who participate in Saddles and Smiles allows them to experience leadership and to also gain more perspective on their own lives, challenges, and opportunities. 

About Q&A Family of Programs

Q&A Family of Programs works with young adults ages 18 and up, providing opportunities for each of them to develop independent, functional, and happy lives with a high level of quality. Our clients have struggled to reach independence for a variety of reasons such as the inability to develop and/or implement the life skills needed to be successful, or struggling to obtain consistent employment. Our goal is to help these individuals find meaning and an authentic purpose for their lives and a practical path to achieve their goals.