Partners and Paws

A YEAR in review

I walked into my office at Saint Francis the other morning with my head down and shoulders

Sophia and Daniel Yes, there are always problems that need solving, resources that need finding, and troubles that need easing. But the mother that dropped by my office reminded me of the slow, steady current that runs below all that noise of immediate needs. The current of gentleness, kindness, and nurturing that leads Saint Francis Service Dogs to become catalysts of amazing change in the lives of the people and families they serve.

I am extremely proud of our Saint Francis staff, volunteers and donors for making 2019 a year full of great accomplish- ments! This year we welcomed twenty-five wiggly little puppies into our newly redesigned and improved Puppy Raiser Program. We recruited dozens of new volunteers to help with all aspects of our operations, from raising puppies to helping us keep our property clean and well-maintained. We strengthened our kennel

tight. I had a lot on my mind – problems needed solving, resources needed

finding, and troubles needed easing. Frankly, I was stressed.

Soon after I settled into my seat, the mother of one of our partners walked into my office and asked for a moment of my time. Of

course, I said yes. She sat and talked to me for a little while about the ways her son’s service dog changed his life and the life of her family. She told me stories. She explained how deeply grateful she was and would always be for what we’ve done and continue to do for her son. When she left my office, I sat quietly for a moment and then I looked around. Outside the window, I saw volunteers walking dogs with wagging tails. I heard trainers in the next room talking about dogs and how to best teach each one. And I felt calm.

She reminded me that what we really produce at Saint Francis is hope and love, which we deliver in the form of highly-trained, devoted, joyful service dogs. I encourage you to attend our Graduation on May 3 rd to see for yourself. It defies metrics. We could never do what we do without the unflagging support of our donors and volunteers. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity of spirit. You inspire us every day.

enrichment program, decreased our career change rate, and dramatically increased the number of graduating teams. We are always measuring our progress towards carefully charted goals. These metrics are important because we need them to make sure we stay on track. We are keenly aware of our responsibility to you - our donors, volunteers and partners - to be sure that our programs are strong and well-run so that we continue to deserve your trust.

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