Shorty S Safe Haven Equine Rescue & Rehab Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
At Shorty's Safe Haven, we are deeply committed to our mission of being "Where Hope Lives," a sanctuary where the most vulnerable girls in our community find solace and strength. Through the powerful and transformative experience of working with our horses and farm animals. Our ranch program is a comprehensive approach to healing and growth. We provide a safe place of hope and healing for our girls to grow and become leaders of tomorrow. Working closely with our horses teaches the girls essential life skills like responsibility, accountability, compassion, empathy, just to name a few. The time spent on the ranch is so important and helps our girls learn how to communicate effectively, how to work as a team, how to solve problems and use critical thinking. Beyond these, we extend our support to meet other crucial needs such as food, clothing, and household essentials, ensuring a holistic approach to care. Emotional support provided by working with and bonding to horses under close supe
- Income
- $180,053
- Spending
- $177,270
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 60
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 421% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $177,270 spent. Our ranch girl program is set up to serve low-income girls from age 10-18. We accept enrollment year-round. We conduct our program impact measurements every three months. We evaluate our girls' progress in the following areas: * school attendance as reported by the school [as measured by attendance before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of grades as reported by the school [as measured by grades before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of behavior at home and at school as reported by parents and the referring * program attendance at the ranch * improvement of behavior at the ranch as reported by staff and volunteers there Our enrollment process is referral based, and an application is required. We accept referrals from several sources: * Parents with proof of need (ie; failing grades, behavior, in trouble with the law) * School staff * Therapists, either in practice or at rehab centers * Law enforcement We select applicants based upon several different criteria. The applicant must provide proof of failing grades, behavioral issues and/or trouble with the law. Our program is free if the applicant is currently receiving SNAP food benefits and/or Medicaid services. We also require each family to contribute 4 hours of working hours per month. Working hours can consist of office work such as organizing and filing, ranch work or serving at one of our outreach committee events. During the school year, the girls come twice a week for 2 hours each time after school from 4:30-6:30 PM. When they first begin our horse therapy program, the girls focus on horse and farm safety. They learn to catch, halter, lead, and safely groom the horse. Once they are comfortable with these tasks they begin to learn to ride. One of the two days of the week is devoted to team building with the other girls in the program where they work in groups doing things around the farm. They care for the horses, and clean stalls and water tanks. They learn about feeding the horses and their nutritional requirements. They learn first aid for horses and how to spot a sick animal and are involved with the farrier when he comes. The second day is the one all the girls look forward to with excitement: riding day. This day provides much needed stress relief and calmness that can only be provided by being near and around a horse. This day they start to bond to and really care about the horse for whom they are caring, and it is mutual - between horse and girl - always such a joy for us to behold. We work on breathing exercises within the riding sessions. The girls learn to saddle the horse. They learn to understand the importance of caring for their tack spotting any potentially problematical issues with their horse. Currently this summer we have 21 girls enrolled with 13 therapy horses. In the summer we run camps twice a month for a week in each camp. All of our ranch girls are low income and all but one is in a one-parent family. We do our best to open the farm up for them to come and have a supervised safe place to stay for a few hours or even all day in some circumstances. To date, every one of our girls have improved their grades and behavior both in school and at home after just a few weeks of being enrolled at Shorty's. The girls learn how to solve problems and grow their confidence, which helps them with good decision making. Our whole goal is to provide them with the emotional support they need to make the right moral decision when faced with the opportunity to make a wrong decision that can change their life and take them down the wrong path. Emotional support provided by working with and bonding to horses under close supervision is crucial for our girls to learn how to heal. Our team of volunteers and professionals work closely with the girls as they work with the horses, providing them with a safe space to express their emotions and process their experiences to develop healthy coping mechanisms Our preliminary data from testimonials from parents and teachers suggest that our horse therapy program is having a major positive impact on the lives of the girls who are enrolled with us here at Shorty's Safe Haven and Girls Ranch.
- Our ranch girl program is set up to serve low-income girls from age 10-18. We accept enrollment year-round. We conduct our program impact measurements every three months. We evaluate our girls' progress in the following areas: * school attendance as reported by the school [as measured by attendance before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of grades as reported by the school [as measured by grades before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of behavior at home and at school as reported by parents and the referring * program attendance at the ranch * improvement of behavior at the ranch as reported by staff and volunteers there Our enrollment process is referral based, and an application is required. We accept referrals from several sources: * Parents with proof of need (ie; failing grades, behavior, in trouble with the law) * School staff * Therapists, either in practice or at rehab centers * Law enforcement We select applicants based upon several different criteria. The applicant must provide proof of failing grades, behavioral issues and/or trouble with the law. Our program is free if the applicant is currently receiving SNAP food benefits and/or Medicaid services. We also require each family to contribute 4 hours of working hours per month. Working hours can consist of office work such as organizing and filing, ranch work or serving at one of our outreach committee events. During the school year, the girls come twice a week for 2 hours each time after school from 4:30-6:30 PM. When they first begin our horse therapy program, the girls focus on horse and farm safety. They learn to catch, halter, lead, and safely groom the horse. Once they are comfortable with these tasks they begin to learn to ride. One of the two days of the week is devoted to team building with the other girls in the program where they work in groups doing things around the farm. They care for the horses, and clean stalls and water tanks. They learn about feeding the horses and their nutritional requirements. They learn first aid for horses and how to spot a sick animal and are involved with the farrier when he comes. The second day is the one all the girls look forward to with excitement: riding day. This day provides much needed stress relief and calmness that can only be provided by being near and around a horse. This day they start to bond to and really care about the horse for whom they are caring, and it is mutual - between horse and girl - always such a joy for us to behold. We work on breathing exercises within the riding sessions. The girls learn to saddle the horse. They learn to understand the importance of caring for their tack spotting any potentially problematical issues with their horse. Currently this summer we have 21 girls enrolled with 13 therapy horses. In the summer we run camps twice a month for a week in each camp. All of our ranch girls are low income and all but one is in a one-parent family. We do our best to open the farm up for them to come and have a supervised safe place to stay for a few hours or even all day in some circumstances. To date, every one of our girls have improved their grades and behavior both in school and at home after just a few weeks of being enrolled at Shorty's. The girls learn how to solve problems and grow their confidence, which helps them with good decision making. Our whole goal is to provide them with the emotional support they need to make the right moral decision when faced with the opportunity to make a wrong decision that can change their life and take them down the wrong path. Emotional support provided by working with and bonding to horses under close supervision is crucial for our girls to learn how to heal. Our team of volunteers and professionals work closely with the girls as they work with the horses, providing them with a safe space to express their emotions and process their experiences to develop healthy coping mechanisms Our preliminary data from testimonials from parents and teachers suggest that our horse therapy program is having a major positive impact on the lives of the girls who are enrolled with us here at Shorty's Safe Haven and Girls Ranch.
- Our ranch girl program is set up to serve low-income girls from age 10-18. We accept enrollment year-round. We conduct our program impact measurements every three months. We evaluate our girls' progress in the following areas: * school attendance as reported by the school [as measured by attendance before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of grades as reported by the school [as measured by grades before and after 3 months in the program] * improvement of behavior at home and at school as reported by parents and the referring * program attendance at the ranch * improvement of behavior at the ranch as reported by staff and volunteers there Our enrollment process is referral based, and an application is required. We accept referrals from several sources: * Parents with proof of need (ie; failing grades, behavior, in trouble with the law) * School staff * Therapists, either in practice or at rehab centers * Law enforcement We select applicants based upon several different criteria. The applicant must provide proof of failing grades, behavioral issues and/or trouble with the law. Our program is free if the applicant is currently receiving SNAP food benefits and/or Medicaid services. We also require each family to contribute 4 hours of working hours per month. Working hours can consist of office work such as organizing and filing, ranch work or serving at one of our outreach committee events. During the school year, the girls come twice a week for 2 hours each time after school from 4:30-6:30 PM. When they first begin our horse therapy program, the girls focus on horse and farm safety. They learn to catch, halter, lead, and safely groom the horse. Once they are comfortable with these tasks they begin to learn to ride. One of the two days of the week is devoted to team building with the other girls in the program where they work in groups doing things around the farm. They care for the horses, and clean stalls and water tanks. They learn about feeding the horses and their nutritional requirements. They learn first aid for horses and how to spot a sick animal and are involved with the farrier when he comes. The second day is the one all the girls look forward to with excitement: riding day. This day provides much needed stress relief and calmness that can only be provided by being near and around a horse. This day they start to bond to and really care about the horse for whom they are caring, and it is mutual - between horse and girl - always such a joy for us to behold. We work on breathing exercises within the riding sessions. The girls learn to saddle the horse. They learn to understand the importance of caring for their tack spotting any potentially problematical issues with their horse. Currently this summer we have 21 girls enrolled with 13 therapy horses. In the summer we run camps twice a month for a week in each camp. All of our ranch girls are low income and all but one is in a one-parent family. We do our best to open the farm up for them to come and have a supervised safe place to stay for a few hours or even all day in some circumstances. To date, every one of our girls have improved their grades and behavior both in school and at home after just a few weeks of being enrolled at Shorty's. The girls learn how to solve problems and grow their confidence, which helps them with good decision making. Our whole goal is to provide them with the emotional support they need to make the right moral decision when faced with the opportunity to make a wrong decision that can change their life and take them down the wrong path. Emotional support provided by working with and bonding to horses under close supervision is crucial for our girls to learn how to heal. Our team of volunteers and professionals work closely with the girls as they work with the horses, providing them with a safe space to express their emotions and process their experiences to develop healthy coping mechanisms Our preliminary data from testimonials from parents and teachers suggest that our horse therapy program is having a major positive impact on the lives of the girls who are enrolled with us here at Shorty's Safe Haven and Girls Ranch.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2022.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.