More places to sit, reflect and relax next to the Philly Goat Project’s goats. (Photo: Jen Bagley)

Healing from trauma and grief doesn’t have to be in isolation — it doesn’t even have to be indoors. According to grief coach Naila Francis, being outside, in nature, gives grief a place to go. 

Working with grief and healing from trauma are some of the things the Philly Goat Project is doing with its programming. It’s not just about the goats, they say. Instead, it’s about creating community for everyone to have a safe and welcoming space to heal and experience joy. 

Philly Goat Project (PGP) has been around since 2018, headquartered at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum. 

While their physical space is a traditional barn for the goats, it also serves as a grief garden and a storybook trail, always updated with new stories to read and interact with as you walk through. 

There’s a little book library, a toy lot, gardening, and plants. You can hang ribbons in memorial of people you are grieving or talk into an old school phone about your loved one, similar to The Thread in Vernon Park.

All of these physical and tangible things and spaces are ways that PGP works wellness into its overall programming.

“I don’t think you can have wellness without community. I think that we have created a space where people learn to help take care of each other. And that is really the ground zero for wellness,” says Leslie Jackson, PGP’s Director of Operations.

Programs like seasonal grief walks, where participants can walk around in nature with the goats and Naila Francis, community goat walks, and other nature-based activities are some of the ways PGP incorporates this nature-based wellness.

Jackson got involved after responding to a part-time job posting on Facebook, which eventually turned into a full-time position. She doesn’t have any pets, but loves animals, and loves to see neighbors pop in regularly to hang out with the goats.

For her, key goals include connecting with people, ensuring they know about the PGP’s teen and youth programs, and making sure PGP comes to mind when they’re considering summer activities or bringing new programming into schools. 

Karen Krivit, the Founder and Executive Director of PGP, was partially inspired by the Work to Ride program when she began the Philly Goat Project. Work to Ride has programs where youth in Philadelphia can work with horses and learn job skills, get academic support, and more.

Krivit says she saw a lot of unmet needs as a practitioner working with families and vulnerable populations for over 30 years in the city. She saw how the power of animals could really attract and bring people together.

And that bringing together the community continues to shape how PGP operates.

“…the power of community continues to inspire adaptations and changes that just make our impact more effective and help everybody who’s connected with the Philly Goat Project prosper in an emotional and a spiritual way that is beyond just our program and what our space provides,” Krivit said.

Wellness and healing look like a lot of different things

Anita Nutter is the new Director of Wellness at PGP. She is from the neighborhood and had never heard of the organization before she interviewed with them.

She also had no experience with animals, but she could see the benefits.  She wanted neighbors to become aware and know more about the programming offered through them.

“The big stone wall can often make you feel like it’s more of a private estate. And the fact that we’re open from sunup to sundown, you can walk in, say hi, so many volunteer opportunities, and just so many resources that you don’t know are back there… I think for me, it’s just spreading awareness about the program. I feel like that’s my biggest task right now,” said Nutter.

Nutter will lead outreach into schools, expanding awareness to youth around the city about PGP’s internship program, and generally make folks aware of their teen and youth programming. 

Krivit makes it clear that PGP’s programs aren’t just about goats, but are equally rooted in nature. She has seen how being in nature and working around animals can bring peace to someone who is grieving. 

“We’re fortunate to have had the wealth of community members who’ve inspired the grief program, people who have suffered losses, that are acknowledging that in order to live fully, it’s helpful to reckon and recognize grief and loss and not to dismiss that and to acknowledge that as some part of life,” says Krivit. 

Melany Nelson, the Executive Director at Northwest Victim Services, agrees that nature and animals can be one of the ways folks who have been affected by violence or crime can heal.

“With Northwest Victim Services (in terms of) grief and trauma, healing looks different for everybody. So the goat project, I think, is awesome because we’re living in different times where people just don’t want to have sit-down traditional therapy. I think therapy looks different for everybody,” says Nelson. 

In her personal observations, she says that some folks who have gone through trauma may not trust people, but could get a sense of safety from working with animals, and giving and getting love from them.

Collaborations are part of the journey

The entire PGP team is always collaborating with different organizations and communities, and hopes to continue new collaborations this year. 

Nutter hopes to find ways to use PGP’s unique offerings in conjunction with some of the work organizations, especially those with boots-on-the-ground, are doing around violence prevention. Last year, she was able to attend an anti-violence conference, and would love to work with community advocates who may be doing more direct intervention and offer PGP as part of their outreach and work. 

“I think that I would like to connect with some of those organizations who are doing some of the more ‘grittier’ work and collaborating with them to let their participants know there is also a peaceful place, there’s safety after the storm,” Nutter said.

“I think just knowing that the arboretum is open and you have those resources that you can tap into to combat the trauma that we’re facing throughout the city every day, that’s really what’s on my heart right now to do,” she continued.

In the meantime, they all welcome neighbors — nearby and citywide — to stop by and see the goats, hang out in the garden, feel the sun on your face, or even read a story with your grandchild.

The goats are always happy to see you.

Philly Goat Project is hosting a Grief Walk with grief coach Naila Francis on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 12–2:00 p.m., with a rain date of March 29th. For more information, visit PGP’s website.