BluePath Service Dogs is an amazing non-profit organization that works to provide service dogs to individuals with Autism! These dogs provide countless benefits such as safety, unconditional love, and increased opportunities for independence and socialization. Stewart’s Shops was proud to offer our support of this initiative with a donation of $1,000 towards the training and placement for these dogs, which will help them get to a home where they can transform the lives of these individuals and families!
The ability to provide autistic individuals with service dogs is especially important through difficult times like we are facing now, as they are vital to providing a sense of stability and a source of comfort for their owners. One mother, Nancy, reflected on the impact her daughter’s service dog had on her COVID-19 experience. She said, “Today, like so many others we are doing distance learning at home. My daughter Kaitlin’s BluePath service dog, Chester, is by her side as she adjusts to this new ‘normal’. They take breaks and play ball in the backyard. I love watching their joyful interactions.”
We were honored to play a part in helping BluePath transform these families’ lives, and are also very excited to continue our support for BluePath Service Dogs through our Holiday Match program! Like many non-profits in our market area, BluePath has applied for funding through our Holiday Match program* for their Kids and Canines Learn Together Program, which enables future service dogs to learn in real-life classroom settings. This will help them gain the necessary skills they’ll need later on with their future clients.
*Applications for Holiday Match will be open until January 31st. Non-profit 501c3 organizations benefiting children are eligible to receive funding. Applications can be found here. It’s easy to apply, just go online and fill out an application!