Member Highlight: Higher Ground Sun Valley

Higher Ground Sun Valley (HGSV) has grown tremendously over the years. Since 1999, they have provided “recreation, therapy, and continuing support to give people of all abilities a better life.” Originally called Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, the Higher Ground brand has now expanded outside of Idaho to both California and New York.

​After working 17 years as the Director of Recreation Programs, Cara Barrett has learned a great deal. “I have a difficult time saying ‘No’. I have learned over the years that it is OK to say no and to set boundaries,” Barrett says. She has also seen the organization increase from seven participants to over 100.

Within Idaho, HGSV has fostered many partnerships within their community to better help those they serve. “We work with over 120 nonprofits in the Wood River Valley. We are extremely fortunate to have wonderful collaborations with the Sawtooth Botanical Gardens, Swiftsure, Environmental Resource Center, the Wood River YMCA, Blaine County Recreation District, Idaho Base Camp, and so many more!”

Their military program that “guarantees the veteran can stay active in recreation by providing the equipment and finances needed… [and] help them remember that they are not in this alone” is a unique healing initiative in Idaho.

Success is measured by how many people take advantage of the Higher Ground programs as well as name recognition within the communities they serve.

For the future, HGSV would like to acquire a facility for their main base of operations. This would house the majority of their programs, store all of the equipment, and office space for all employees, admin, and interns. Barrett is also in the process of “developing more thorough and effective Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Emergency Action Plans (EAP), evaluations, and reaching out to universities to have students help with research on the therapeutic effects the programs do on the participants.