Fostering Courage, Confidence, and Connection
CarsonStrong’s Holistic Support Initiative is dedicated to programs that strengthen both the body and the spirit — helping children and families build confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being while navigating life’s toughest challenges.
From therapeutic horseback riding to mentorship and service dog partnerships, these initiatives bring comfort, purpose, and independence to children and families when they need it most.
Victory Gallop
As part of CarsonStrong’s Holistic Support Initiative, we proudly partner with Victory Gallop, a therapeutic and recreational horseback riding program that helps children build confidence, courage, and emotional resilience.
For Carson, Victory Gallop was more than an activity — it was a sanctuary. As a young rider, he found freedom, joy, and strength in the saddle, forming connections that inspired his family’s lifelong commitment to helping others. Today, Carson’s spirit continues to ride alongside every child who finds healing at Victory Gallop.
About Victory Gallop
Located in Bath, Ohio, Victory Gallop offers therapeutic horseback riding lessons and horsemanship programs for children and teens facing behavioral challenges, emotional struggles, or life-threatening illnesses.
Through individualized sessions led by certified instructors and therapy horses, riders develop physical coordination, emotional balance, and self-confidence. The unique bond between horse and rider helps children grow stronger — inside and out.
Our Impact
The CarsonStrong Foundation has been a proud supporter of Victory Gallop since 2018, providing more than $60,000 in total funding to support its life-changing work.
In 2025, CarsonStrong donated $20,000 to help Victory Gallop add a new therapy horse named Carson, continuing our shared commitment to fostering courage, confidence, and healing.
Carson the horse now plays an active role in therapy sessions, providing comfort, connection, and confidence to riders who need it most. Gentle, patient, and full of personality, he represents everything this partnership stands for — strength, compassion, and the healing power of connection.
Why It Matters
Victory Gallop isn’t just a therapy program — it’s a place where children find belonging, self-worth, and independence.
The connection between horse and rider teaches trust, empathy, and perseverance, helping participants grow emotionally and physically in ways traditional therapy often can’t.
For Carson, those lessons became a lasting part of his story. His time at Victory Gallop taught him courage and gave him joy during his cancer journey — and now, through the horse that bears his name, his impact lives on.
Boy Scouts of America
Building Leadership, Character, and Service
CarsonStrong supports the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that shaped much of Carson’s childhood and his commitment to kindness, leadership, and giving back.
Carson was posthumously honored with the Spirit of the Eagle Award, a special recognition presented by the Boy Scouts of America to celebrate Scouts who have passed away while remaining active members. The award reflects a Scout’s spirit, service, and embodiment of Scouting values — qualities Carson demonstrated every day through his compassion, humor, and love for helping others.
Through donations totaling $17,000, CarsonStrong continues to support local Scouting programs that develop leadership, outdoor skills, and community engagement in youth across Northeast Ohio.
These programs teach the same values Carson lived by: service, integrity, and the courage to help others.
“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.”
The Scout Law — and a perfect reflection of Carson’s character.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs
Healing Through Companionship and Independence
CarsonStrong also supports Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, a national nonprofit dedicated to pairing highly trained service dogs with individuals living with disabilities such as PTSD, mobility challenges, or medical conditions.
These partnerships empower recipients to regain independence, stability, and emotional strength — fostering life-changing connections between people and their service animals.
Since 2018, CarsonStrong has contributed $22,000 to help fund the training and placement of service dogs, expanding access to this incredible form of support.
Each partnership reflects CarsonStrong’s belief that healing extends beyond medicine — it’s found in the bonds that restore confidence, safety, and trust.
Learn more about Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs
Empowering Growth Beyond Illness
Through Holistic Support, the CarsonStrong Foundation continues Carson’s legacy of compassion and strength by investing in programs that nurture courage, independence, and joy.
Whether it’s the connection between a child and a horse, a Scout learning to lead with kindness, or a service dog offering comfort and confidence — each partnership reflects CarsonStrong’s promise to uplift others and create lasting impact.
Together, we’re building a world where every act of care, connection, and courage helps families move forward — stronger, braver, and truly CarsonStrong.
