Blackbeltbirdingfestival 20240802 175801 E1724943929783 — Fellow Keeley Larivier at Project Horseshoe Farm in Greensboro. (The Bama Buzz)

When John Dorsey moved to Greensboro in 2005, he took on a small role with an after-school program in the community.

That role quickly turned into a passion and now, he’s the executive director of Project Horseshoe Farm. The non-profit organization is helping to create a sense of community through social and emotional support for those who need it the most.

Keep reading to learn more about the organization + see how you can get involved through a fellowship or just by volunteering.

Four pillars of community

Blackbeltbirdingfestival 20240802 175538 — The organization does some work out of this building in Greensboro. (The Bama Buzz)

Project Horseshoe Farm attempts to support the community through several different programs, most of them falling under four categories including:

Physical + mental health partnerships
Youth + after-school
Community centers + activities
Nursing homes

John Dorsey said the non-profit’s fellows will partner with people in the community each week for relationship-based care. This can be anything from helping elderly people navigate the healthcare system to helping put on events at community centers.

But it’s not just the organization doing the work, as many of their services come through partnerships with local schools, agencies and governments. Without help from the community, the programs would not work.

“We are very grateful for how welcoming each community has been and how receptive the community partners have been from schools to local community centers. They’ve been hugely welcoming and just great partnerships. The people we serve have just been extraordinarily grateful.. for somebody to show up consistently as a caring neighbor is such a positive impact.”
~ John Dorsey, Founder and Executive Director

2 locations in Alabama

Blackbeltbirdingfestival 20240802 191835 — The lobby of the Project Horseshoe Farm in Greensboro. (The Bama Buzz)

While the idea began in Greensboro in 2005, the organization officially took form in 2009. Almost a decade later, another location launched when Project Horseshoe Farm expanded to Marion in Perry County.

Now, there are three total locations across the country including:

Greensboro: 1202 Main Street, Greensboro, AL 36744
Perry County: 311 Washington St., Marion, AL 36756
Pomona: PO Box 1546, Pomona, CA 91769

Each location works together but has its own director and group of fellows. When moving to California, the project wanted to test how their model of community service could work in a different cultural setting.

Dorsey, who grew up in Southern California, said there may still be further expansion into Alabama and California. The non-profit often gets inquiries on how to have a similar impact on other communities.

How to get involved

Blackbeltbirdingfestival 20240802 180055 — Project Horseshoe Farm’s program brochures and flyers. (The Bama Buzz)

Project Horseshoe Farm has a full staff of fellows that help lead the programs and community service, along with with interns and volunteers.

This year, Dorsey said the organization has 23 fellows on the team across all three locations—210 since launch. He said they look for a variety of qualifications from applicants but above everything else is kindness.

They are currently looking for applicants for a Gap-Year Fellowship for 2024-25.

Dorsey said after the fellowships, people will go on to pursue related fields including: