Jean and Ric Edelman Support Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program Expansion With $500,000 Donation

CLIFTON, Va., Jan. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jean and Ric Edelman, founders of Edelman Financial Services, were recognized today for their $500,000 donation to the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program (NVTRP) during a groundbreaking ceremony for the organization's Build to Thrive Capital Campaign project. The donation will help NVTRP expand its facilities to allow for year-round equine-assisted therapeutic activities with the creation of an indoor riding arena that will include a climate-controlled observation area and education room. 

Jean and Ric have supported the program for more than a decade, with their contributions helping NVTRP expand its therapeutic equine-assisted programming. Currently, the organization reaches 350 unique riders each year, including children and adults with disabilities, at-risk youth, military service personnel and their families. With the help of this donation, NVTRP will be able to help even more community members.

"This project is very special to Ric and me. Through the experience of one of our family members, we've seen the positive impact therapeutic horseback riding can have," said Jean Edelman. "Seeing the dedication and strength from the participants, whether it is at-risk youth seeking a more positive experience or veterans overcoming issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, inspires us to do what we can to ensure riders can continue to benefit from NVTRP's great work."

"Jean and Ric Edelman's donation is instrumental in the execution of the Build to Thrive Capital Campaign project," said Kelsey Gallagher, executive director of NVTRP. "We appreciate their engagement and support of NVTRP and look forward to seeing these improvements come to life so that more riders in the community can benefit from equine-assisted therapy."

To date, the campaign has raised more than $2.9 million. In addition to allowing for year-round programs, the campaign will provide the opportunity for NVTRP to add new services, including equine-assisted psychotherapy. For more information on the Build to Thrive campaign, visit www.nvtrp.org.

About Jean Edelman
Jean Edelman, co-founder of Edelman Financial Services, is one of the most successful women in the Washington, D.C., business community. While Ric emphasizes the more traditional elements of personal finance, Jean focuses on The Other Side of Money, sharing her insights to help us see ourselves and the world around us in a positive, loving way. Jean serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including an appointment to the Rowan University Board of Trustees in 2012 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. As a student, Jean was Rowan's first female president of the Student Government Association, recipient of the Distinguished Senior Award in her graduating year and named the university's Alumnus of the Year in 1994. Her degree is in home economics, consumer economics, marketing and nutrition.

Jean and Ric are benefactors of the Inova Edelman Center for Nursing at Inova Health Foundation, as well as the Edelman Planetarium and the Edelman Fossil Park, both at Rowan University. They also actively support the Boys & Girls Clubs, Heroes Inc., the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program and many other charities.

Visit Jean online at JeanEdelman.com.

About Ric Edelman
For 30 years, Ric Edelman has worked to teach everyday people about personal finance. He's widely regarded as one of the nation's top financial advisors, having been ranked #11 on the 2017 list of the nation's Top Wealth Advisors by Forbes.¹ He was previously ranked the nation's #1 Independent Financial Advisor three times by Barron's.² Ric is the 2017 recipient of the IARFC's Loren Dunton Memorial Award³ for Lifetime Achievement for his "substantial contribution to the financial services profession and the financial interests of the public." He is an inductee of Research magazine's Financial Advisor Hall of Fame,⁴ and has been named among the 15 most transformative people in the industry by InvestmentNews⁵ and one of the investment advisory field's 10 most influential figures by RIABiz.⁶ Ric is also a #1 New York Times bestselling author who has written nine books on personal finance. His most recent, The Truth About Your Future, was published in March 2017. For more information about Ric Edelman, visit https://www.edelmanfinancial.com/about-us/about-ric.

About Edelman Financial Services
Edelman Financial Services is one of the nation's largest independent financial planning firms⁷ with 163 financial planners and 43 offices coast to coast, provides financial planning and investment management services to more than 34,000 individuals and families, and manages more than $20.6 billion in assets.⁸ The firm also provides 401(k) plans and institutional investment management for businesses. Edelman Financial Services has won more than 100 financial, business, community and philanthropic awards,⁹ and offers an investment philosophy that puts clients first and delivers value through in-depth financial education, personalized financial plans and unfettered access to planners.¹⁰

About NVTRP
Originally chartered in 1980, NVTRP is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing equine-assisted activities to children and adults with disabilities, youth at risk, military service personnel and their families in an inclusive, community setting. Learning to ride and care for a horse not only improves the physical health of a rider but also generates a critically important sense of accomplishment. Riders participating at NVTRP represent a range of disabilities including attention deficit disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, vision and hearing impairments, and genetic syndromes. NVTRP is a Premier Center accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), and a member of the Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia (TRAV). NVTRP is located in Clifton, VA.

¹ Forbes rankings are the opinion of SHOOK Research and are based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm for advisors who have a minimum of seven years of experience, client retention, industry experience, compliance records and firm nominations, as well as quantitative criteria such as assets under management and revenue generated for the firm. Advisors are judged on individual contribution, but total team assets are shown; in some cases, significant, noncustodied assets are not included because of verification difficulties. Investment performance is not considered. Advisors do not pay to be in the ranking.
² According to Barron's, "The formula [used] to rank advisors has three major components: assets managed, revenue produced and quality of the advisor's practice. Investment returns are not a component of the rankings because an advisor's returns are dictated largely by each client's risk tolerance. The quality-of-practice component includes an evaluation of each advisor's regulatory record." The rankings are based on the universe of applications submitted to Barron's. The selection process begins with a nomination and application provided to Barron's. Principals of Edelman Financial Services, LLC, self-nominated the firm and submitted quantitative and qualitative information to Barron's as requested. Barron's reviewed and considered this information, which resulted in the rankings on Aug. 27, 2012/Aug. 28, 2010/Aug. 31, 2009.
³ Presented by the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants (IARFC). Candidates must hold a professional designation and must have disseminated their comments on financial topics by having them widely published in articles, journals, books, etc. They must have provided outstanding personal service or leadership in the financial services industry. Nominees must have participated in some aspect of financial education to the public or to other members of the profession. Investor experience/returns were not considered.
⁴ Research magazine cover story "Advisor Hall of Fame," December 2004 (based on serving a minimum of 15 years in the industry, having acquired substantial assets under management, demonstrating superior client service and having earned recognition from peers and the broader community for how they reflect on their profession). Investor experience/returns were not considered as part of this ranking.
⁵ InvestmentNews 15th Anniversary Issue. June 23, 2013.
⁶ The RIABiz listing of the 10 most influential figures in the Registered Investment Advisor industry is in recognition of notable, driven and influential executives who are advancing their firms and are considered to be influential in the RIA business. Investor experience/returns were not considered as part of this ranking.
⁷ WealthManagement.com's "Top 100 RIAs of 2015" ranking was assembled using data from Meridian-IQ. Advisory firms are ranked by total assets under management. To land on the list, firms had to have a focus on financial and retirement planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. And institutional clients do not make up a substantial portion of their businesses. Finally, none of these firms are owned by a bank, broker/dealer or investment company. Investor experience/returns were not considered as part of this ranking. Edelman Financial Services ranked third.
⁸ As of Sept. 30, 2017.
⁹ Throughout the firm's 30-year history, EFS and Ric Edelman have been presented with numerous business, advisory, communication and community service awards. More information on these awards can be found at EdelmanFinancial.com/awards.
¹⁰ Investing strategies, such as asset allocation, diversification or rebalancing do not assure or guarantee better performance and cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses. There are no guarantees that a portfolio employing these or any other strategy will outperform a portfolio that does not engage in such strategies. Funds and ETFs are subject to risk, including loss of principal. All investments have inherent risks. There can be no assurance that the investment strategy proposed will obtain its goal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

SOURCE Edelman Financial Services