Press Releases Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Warrior Canine Connection

Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation Donates $50,000 to WCC Through Viral “Power of Us” Campaign to Support Veterans

May 21, 2019/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2019

BOYDS, Maryland –Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation (BI Cares) has generously donated $50,000 to Warrior Canine Connection to help support programs to breed, train and pair service dogs with Veterans with visible and invisible wounds. The funds were raised through the BI Cares social media campaign, “Power of Us,” a collective effort designed to make a significant impact on human and animal patients.

Through the campaign, BI Cares encouraged the public to post what the “Power of Us” meant to them by sharing a meaningful or inspirational photo and a few words on social media. The campaign elicited more than 700 social media posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms utilizing the #PowerOfUs. BI Cares provided a monetary donation for each post for a grand total of $50,000 to WCC.

“BI Cares is an amazing supporter that is making a real difference in the lives of our Veterans and their beloved service dogs who support them,” said Rick Yount, executive director and founder, Warrior Canine Connection. “The Foundation has demonstrated a true commitment to not only improving human and animal health but also to a culture of giving back, and we are immensely thankful for their support.”

Of the more than 700 photos and posts, notable expressions shared include:
“Pets are love”
“For the mission”
“Veterans in need”
“Driving ideas forward”
“Together. Inspire. Win.”

“Part of what drives Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation is the belief that people and animals share a fundamental bond — a bond that inspires passion, companionship and a meaningful connection,” said Karen Iannella, president, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation. “To demonstrate our commitment to this bond, we chose to partner with Warrior Canine Connection, whose work aligns with our mission to improve the health and lives of people and animals.”

Visit @BoehringerIngelheim or use #PowerOfUs to see the complete campaign photos and posts.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation
Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation is a nonprofit foundation with a mission to improve the health and lives of people and animals. We improve patient access to medicines and healthcare and enhance STEM education with a focus on the underserved. We provide financial support to community programs that align with our goals and engage employees who volunteer their time and skills to amplify our contributions.

Warrior Canine Connection Receives $75,000 Grant from PetSmart Charities® to Bring the Healing Power of Pets to Veterans Through its Mission Based Trauma Recovery Program

December 4, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2018

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection knows that pets have the remarkable ability to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, improve our mood and bring us unconditional love. That’s why, with the help of a new $75,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the organization is aiming to improve the quality of life for Veterans with combat wounds through its Mission Based Trauma Recovery Program (MBTR).

With this grant funding, Warrior Canine Connection will support its MBTR Program to enlist Service Members and Veterans to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans. The training model provides Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are in treatment at the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness and re-experiencing. MBTR also harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos in which Warriors train service dogs for fellow Veterans; through the process, they learn to focus on the dogs and their mission to help another Veteran.

“PetSmart Charities is a true leader and driver in support of the health and welfare of animals, and we are so grateful for their endorsement and support of our programs,” said Warrior Canine Connection Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount. “The emotional and physical support that service dogs provide to our Veterans is invaluable, and we’re excited to use this funding to help support our mission and to meet the growing need for Warrior support by training and providing highly skilled service dogs to our Veterans.”

Veterans who have participated in WCC’s unique form of canine-assisted therapy have reported that it has significantly improved their self-worth, peer relationships and family dynamics, among other positive attributes.

“As the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, we are committed to supporting programs that bring people and pets together,” said Sima Thakkar, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “The MBTR Program is a great example of how pets can enrich our lives and heal invisible and/or physical wounds. Thanks to our donor nationwide, we are proud to partner with the team at Warrior Canine Connection and support the expansion of this tremendous program that aims to improve the quality of life for so many Veterans.”

Last year alone, PetSmart Charities granted more than $1.8 million to support programs aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals through greater access to service animals and animal-assisted therapy programs. Funding from PetSmart Charities supports best practices that enhance the human-animal bond and finds forever homes and families for pets in need. For more information, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visitwww.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for more than 500,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission under four key areas of support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets and Providing Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting almost $340 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 15 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmart CharitiesInc

Media Contact:
Warrior Canine Connection 24-Hour PetSmart Charities
Beth Bourgeois Media Line: 623-587-2177
Media & Public Relations Officer719-216-3206
beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org

Warrior Canine Connection Receives $100,000 Grant from Boeing

November 27, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is pleased to announce it has received a $100,000 grant from Boeing (NYSE: BA) to support its service dog training program.

“Warrior Canine Connection is honored to have been selected to receive this generous support from Boeing,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “Boeing’s charitable efforts are not only making a positive impact on our nation’s Veterans but also on organizations the world over. Thank you, Boeing, for being a leader in the aerospace industry and in philanthropic giving.”

WCC uses a Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) therapy model designed as an intervention for combat Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress. The MBTR model provides Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are receiving treatment at Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities. It is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness and re-experiencing events from their combat days. MBTR also harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos in which Warriors train service dogs for fellow Veterans; through the process, they learn to focus on the dogs and their mission to help another Veteran.

Warrior Canine Connection is one of 443 nonprofit organizations in 47 countries receiving grant funding from Boeing’s $55 million charitable grants package through 2019 and beyond. Included in the package is $13 million for Veterans’ recovery and rehabilitation programs and workforce transition service.

“Our people have unique skills and an unwavering passion for making a difference in the world, both through our products and services and the ways we give back to our communities,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer. “When that’s combined with our professional networks, partnerships and financial resources, we have the potential to drive positive, lasting change across the globe in important areas such as STEM learning and veterans’ support.”

A full list of Boeing’s grant partners can be found here.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

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ABOUT WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION:
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

ABOUT THE BOEING COMPANY:
Through purposeful investments, employee engagement and thoughtful advocacy efforts, Boeing and its employees support innovative partnerships and programs that align with the company’s strategic objectives, create value and help build better communities worldwide. See how Boeing is making a difference by visiting the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio at Boeing.com/community.

Chicago-based Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Engage on social @Boeing with #BoeingInspires.

Warrior Canine Connection Launches Program in Asheville Veterans Treatment Court

November 20, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

Service Dog Training Program Helps Wounded Veterans Avoid Incarceration

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Warrior Canine Connection is offering a new program to support the Veterans Treatment Court in Asheville, North Carolina. Working with the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court, the WCC program utilizes service dog training as a community service option for Veterans involved with the criminal justice system.

“We are honored to be able to provide service dog training as a community service option in participation with the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “Several Veteran participants have shared that they feel good about their volunteerism — helping to train the dogs but what they didn’t realize going in was just how much the training of the dogs would end up helping them. That’s a powerful testimonial to the impact these service dogs in training are having on our nation’s Veterans, and we’re thrilled to be providing this service in Asheville.”

The Asheville-based program marks the sixth WCC program working with Veteran Treatment Court programs, including four sites (Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) in California and in Baltimore. The VTC program utilizes WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) model in which Veterans work to overcome the stress of combat by training service dogs for their fellow Veterans.

One Asheville participant shared the following thoughts on his participation in the VTC program:
“I love working with Clifford. As a combat-wounded Veteran, I have struggled physically (32 surgeries) and emotionally; to make human connections and to find my tribe after the Marines has been difficult. I think this is because I just don’t feel safe in my own skin, let alone around others. Working with Clifford, I feel normal. I feel like a person again. Who knew that working with these dogs would help me feel more like a human. Because of the work we are doing in WCC, I am able to speak to other people [now]. The best way to put it — Clifford keeps me calm. He is always happy to see me. And he responds to my moods. I am learning that I can control how I feel. And instead of being alone with my thoughts, I am often focusing on Clifford.”

Veterans involved in the courts are often required to complete a set number of community service hours. The dog training — offered through WCC — is one of the options on the docket. Training takes place on a weekly basis at the courthouse and Veterans can participate within the WCC program for the duration of their VTC commitment.

“I am so excited to have the VTC working with the Warrior Canine Connection,” said Honorable Judge Marvin Pope. “WCC (Amy and Clifford) has brought a new sense of joy into the courtroom that directly mirrors our non-punitive and supportive approach. I am seeing Veterans that are otherwise isolated and reserved (from unaddressed PTSD symptomatology) coming to life. Through this new modality, Veterans are learning critical skills of self-regulation, pro-social development and self-soothing. While we are training the service animal, it is actually a mutual process of growth and healing.”

The program teaches Veterans how to work with service dogs in training which helps not only to meet their legal community service obligations but also fulfills a time-honored military tradition of Warriors helping Warriors. In doing so, the Veteran can also benefit from skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation and patience to promote an act of service while receiving a therapeutic benefit.

Starting in 2008, states and counties in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs created a system of Veterans Treatment Courts throughout the nation. To date, these VTCs have used treatment to help rehabilitate more than 10,000 Veterans with mental health and/or substance dependence and legal issues. Despite these efforts, tens of thousands of Veterans continue to need similar assistance.

For some Veterans, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury can contribute to their misconduct, such as increased risk-taking, self-medication and other behavioral issues that result in their subsequent, and sometimes repeated, involvement in the criminal justice system.

The WCC VTC Program was developed and implemented thanks in part to a 2017 grant provided by the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The Foundation had provided a previous 2016 grant to WCC to oversee a feasibility plan to use service dogs as a community service option.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, help in reintegrating back into their families and communities, and a potential career path as a service dog trainer. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court
The mission of the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) is to promote public safety through accountability and responsibility. The Veterans Treatment Court utilizes a non-adversarial, team approach to providing a host of mental health, addiction, trauma, behavioral, and psychosocial services and supports to veterans facing non-violent felony charges. We assist and support Veterans and their families as they move through a coordinated effort among the court and community-based Veteran services while improving their quality of life. Buncombe County is now on the cutting edge of recovery-based diversion court programs and serves as an example for criminal justice reform. Learn more by visiting www.buncombeveteranscourt.com. For more information, contact VTC Coordinator Kevin Rumley at (828) 259-6601.

Warrior Canine Connection Receives Grant from SAGA Foundation for Menlo Park Program

November 14, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection is pleased to announce it has received a $25,000 grant from SAGA Foundation to support its service dog training program at the Menlo Park VA.

This year marked six years that WCC has been providing its Mission Based Trauma Recovery program for Veterans at the Menlo Park Campus of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Through the program, Warriors recovering from the stress of combat are enlisted to help train service dogs for their fellow Veterans. In doing so, not only does the result produce highly trained service dogs, but Veterans can also benefit from skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation and patience to promote an act of service in the process.

“This tremendous support from SAGA Foundation will help us maintain the great momentum we have established in Menlo Park over the past six years,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “We have been privileged to serve hundreds of Veterans in California over the last half-dozen years, and we are dedicated to helping our Warriors experience the benefits of working with service dogs in training for many years to come.”

WCC began offering its service dog training therapy program at the Welcome Center, a new interdisciplinary facility on the Menlo Park Campus of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in April 2013. The 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art Center provides alternative and complementary therapies to meet the diverse and complex needs of our Veterans.

In addition to WCC’s program at the Menlo Park VA, WCC also provides programming in support of the Veterans Treatment Courts in California in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Since WCC began its work with justice-involved Veterans in 2016, more than 50 Veterans have participated in the Calif. VTC program. Collectively, those Veterans have provided more than 600 hours of training for WCC service dogs.

“The innovative approach that WCC uses in training service dogs is something that really sets the organization apart,” said David Bartoshuk, President of SAGA Foundation. “Even before placing a dog with its forever Veteran, that dog has already worked with, and participated in the recovery process, of numerous Veterans. We are proud to be associated with such a great cause.”

SAGA Foundation awards annual grants through a selective application and review process, placing priority on organizations that focus on leadership, underserved youth, safety & security and global peace.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org.

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About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visitwww.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About SAGA Foundation
SAGA Foundation is dedicated to assisting nonprofits to work smarter, reach further and have lasting impact.

Warrior Canine Connection Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

November 8, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability, transparency and to our nation’s Veterans have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the first time that Warrior Canine Connection has been eligible to receive this top distinction.

“Warrior Canine Connection’s exceptional 4-star rating sets it apart from its peers and demonstrates its trustworthiness to the public,” according to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only a quarter of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive the distinction of our 4-star rating. This adds Warrior Canine Connection to a preeminent group of charities working to overcome our world’s most pressing challenges. Based on its 4-star rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support Warrior Canine Connection.”

Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology. These Accountability & Transparency metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities operate in accordance with industry best practices and whether they are open with their donors and stakeholders. On June 1, 2016, we upgraded our methodology for rating each charity’s’ financial health with CN 2.1. These enhancements further substantiate the financial health of our four star charities.

“It’s important our donors trust that we’re using their donations wisely to serve our nation’s Veterans through our training programs and by providing them with highly trained service dogs,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “Our 4-star Charity Navigator rating demonstrates to our supporters that we take being good stewards of funding very seriously.”

Warrior Canine Connection’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org. More-detailed information about Warrior Canine Connection’s rating is available to Charity Navigator site visitors who become registered users, another free service.

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About Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator, www.charitynavigator.org, is the largest charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined. The organization helps guide intelligent giving by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of more than 8,000 charities. Charity Navigator accepts no advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates, ensuring unbiased evaluations, nor does it charge the public for this trusted data. As a result, Charity Navigator, a 501 (c) (3) public charity itself, depends on support from individuals, corporations and foundations that believe it provides a much-needed service to America’s charitable givers. Charity Navigator, can be reached directly by telephone at (201) 818-1288, or by mail at 139 Harristown Road, Suite 101, Glen Rock, N.J., 07452.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

Media Contact:
Beth Bourgeois
Warrior Canine Connection
beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org
719-216-3206

Warrior Canine Connection Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount Elected to Board of Directors for Assistance Dogs International North America

October 17, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

BOYDS, Maryland – Warrior Canine Connection is pleased to announce that its Founder and Executive Director Rick Yount has been elected to the Board of Directors for Assistance Dogs International North America (ADINA), effective immediately. Yount, along with three additional newly elected board members, will work together to represent ADINA’s mission and vision within North America.

“I have always admired Assistance Dogs International for being a leader in the service dog field, and I’m honored to be joining its board,” said Yount. “Since WCC became an accredited member of ADI in 2015, I’ve been fortunate to see how ADI’s commitment to supporting advocacy, training and addressing access issues has positively impacted service dog organizations. Together, with the rest of the ADI board, I look forward to contributing to its tradition of excellence, as well as expanding into new areas of training and education to continue the growth and support for service dogs across the country.”

Yount founded nonprofit Warrior Canine Connection in 2011 after pioneering the first service dog training program at the California Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto in 2008. He also devised WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery training model, whereby Warriors in recovery are enlisted to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans.

“Rick is a leader in the service dog industry and we are excited to welcome him to ADINA’s board of directors,” said Sheila O’Brien, president, ADINA. “We believe his strong experience, background and insight on breeding, training and pairing highly trained service dogs with Veterans will be especially helpful to ADINA as the organization continues to grow, shape access policies and advocate for those who rely on service dogs.”

Rick graduated with a B.A. from West Virginia University and also earned a Master’s in Assistance Dog Education. He combined his social work knowledge and experience along with his service dog training background to develop WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery training model, which serves as an intervention to help Service Members and Veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. He will serve a four-year term on the ADINA Board of Directors.

The slate of 2018 ADINA Board members is listed below:

Sheila O’Brien, President
Sheri Stoles, Vice President
Laura Watamanuk, Secretary
Rick Hairston, Treasurer
Sally J. Irvin
Jennifer Rogers
Jeanine Konopelski
Jenny Brodkorb
Rick Yount

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, and help in reintegrating back into their families and communities. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Assistance Dogs International North America
Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is a worldwide coalition of non-profit organizations that raise, train and place assistance dogs. ADI is the leading authority in the Assistance Dogs industry establishing and promoting standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training and partnership. Assistance dog organizations that pass our accreditation process become ADI Accredited members and are regularly assessed to ensure they meet the high standards in the industry. For more information, visit www.assistancedogsinternational.org.

ADI North America (ADINA) is a Regional Chapter of Assistance Dogs International. ADINA Board of Directors are focused on regional issues and objectives that affect our member organizations in North America that includes support of new members, the opportunity to network and provide education for our membership and involvement in advocacy issues that affect our graduate teams.

WCC Receives $50,000 Grant from William H. Donner Foundation, Inc.

October 9, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

BOYDS, Md. – Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) is pleased to announce that it has received a $50,000 grant from the William H. Donner Foundation in support of its mission to train and place service dogs for Veterans with visible and invisible wounds.

WCC uses a Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) therapy model designed as an intervention for combat Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress. The MBTR model provides Veterans with a sense of purpose while they are receiving treatment at VA, DoD and community-based treatment centers. It is designed to remediate their symptoms of combat stress, such as isolation, emotional numbness and re-experiencing events from their combat days. MBTR also harnesses the healing power of the Warrior Ethos in which Warriors train service dogs for fellow Veterans; through the process, they learn to focus on the dogs and their mission to help another Veteran.

“Whether it’s birthing, caring for and socializing a new litter of puppies, holding training sessions or matching service dogs with Veterans, there’s no shortage of work or support needed to sustain our daily mission,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “Everything we do is made possible by our loyal partners, including the William H. Donner Foundation, which supported WCC with grant funding in 2017 and again this year. Its generosity and support help provide highly trained service dogs for our Veterans and we are deeply grateful for their support.”

Training a service dog requires emotionally-based praise that challenges patterns of emotional numbing often associated with PTS. Learning to communicate assertively, practicing patience, and demonstrating empathy are skills that improve social and emotional competence—behaviors compromised by PTS and TBI.

To date, WCC has provided MBTR to more than 4,500 wounded Veterans from all branches of service, and placed 62 highly-trained assistance dogs at no cost to Veterans or their Military Families.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

Veterans with Legal Issues in San Francisco Complete Service Dog Training with Warrior Canine Connection

August 21, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

SAN FRANCISCO – Veterans involved in legal issues in San Francisco Superior Court’s Veterans Justice Court are now learning to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans through a new program being offered by Warrior Canine Connection. Veterans participating in WCC’s service dog training program not only fulfill community service hours but they also learn about dog psychology and training and volunteer with a professional service dog training instructor while helping fellow Veterans at the same time.

Many Veterans receive valuable mental health benefits associated with the canine-focused community service program. The VTC program utilizes WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) model in which Veterans work to overcome the effects of combat stress. Veterans who experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury are at risk for problematic behaviors, such as increased risk-taking, self-medication, sleeplessness and other symptoms that can result in their subsequent, and sometimes repeated, involvement in the criminal justice system.

“This program is immensely valuable to Veterans wrestling with legal issues, often for many, those issues are due to combat-related injury and stress,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director of Warrior Canine Connection. “The San Francisco Superior Court’s Veterans Justice Court has been a tremendous partner in rolling out this program. We both want to see Veterans back on their feet and we hope to provide that value through this program now and well into the future.”

WCC’s service dog training program operates in participation with the San Francisco Superior Court’s Veterans Justice Court. The program runs for a total of eight weeks while Veterans learn to train service dogs. The program helps them meet their legal community service obligations and also fulfills a time-honored military tradition of Warriors helping Warriors. In doing so, the Veteran can build confidence and important skills in communication, accountability, emotional stability, patience and parenting.

One group participant said, “I really like this group and I feel like being around animals is good for my mental health. It’s like the dog helps us just as much as we help him.”

In addition to the San Francisco Superior Court, WCC also provides service dog training programs in conjunction with the Veterans Treatment Court programs in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties.

The WCC VTC Program was developed and implemented thanks in part to a 2017 grant provided by the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The Foundation had provided a previous 2016 grant to WCC to oversee a feasibility plan to use service dogs as a community service option.

For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, Warrior Canine Connection, at beth.bourgeois@warriorcanineconnection.org or 719-216-3206.

About Warrior Canine Connection
Warrior Canine Connection is a pioneering organization that utilizes a Mission Based Trauma Recovery model to empower returning combat Veterans who have sustained physical and psychological wounds while in service to our country. Based on the concept of Warriors helping Warriors, WCC’s therapeutic service dog training program is designed to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other challenges, while giving injured combat Veterans a sense of purpose, help in reintegrating back into their families and communities, and a potential career path as a service dog trainer. For more information, visit www.warriorcanineconnection.org.

About Veterans Justice Court
San Francisco Superior Court Veterans Justice Court (VJC) addresses the specialized needs of veterans facing criminal charges by providing substance abuse and mental health treatment, rehabilitation, medical assistance, training necessary for employment or meaningful activity, and support with legal issues so that clients can lead productive and independent lives. The VJC adheres to the principles of San Francisco’s other collaborative court programs: a problem-solving focus, a team approach to decision-making, integration of social and treatment services, judicial supervision of the treatment process and community outreach. For more information, visit https://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/divisions/collaborative/veterans-justice.

Veterans in San Mateo Graduate from Veterans Treatment Court Program

August 13, 2018/in Press Releases /by WCC Comms

It’s not every day you see dogs in the San Mateo County Superior Court, that is, until recently. They’re part of Warrior Canine Connection’s service dog training program — one of several community service options available to those involved in the Veterans Treatment Court.

This month, five Veterans who have worked with WCC’s service dogs in training graduated after completing an eight-week course.

“I like to say I’m volunteering but what I don’t tell people is that the dogs are really helping me, said Anzac Houchen, Army Veteran and VTC Program participant. “The benefits of working with the dogs has helped me feel that I’m becoming a functional member of our society and the satisfaction that I get from that is hard to quantify.”

For Veterans like Houchen, the program helps to teach them how to work with service dogs in training, which helps not only to meet their legal community service obligations but also fulfills a time-honored military tradition of Warriors helping Warriors. In doing so, the Veteran can also benefit from skills development in communication, confidence building, accountability, emotional regulation and socialization.

In 2008, states and counties in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs created a system of Veterans Treatment Courts throughout the nation. To date, these VTCs have used treatment to help rehabilitate more than 10,000 Veterans with mental health and/or substance dependence and legal issues.

Judge Jack Grandsaert, who helped start the VTC program in San Mateo County Superior Court in 2012, says the service dog training program has been a great addition to its program.

“The Warrior Canine Connection Program has been an invaluable partner for our VTC,” said Judge Jack Grandsaert, San Mateo County Superior Court. “The beneficial effects that this program has had on our Veterans has been nothing less than spectacular. I cannot imagine a better way for our Veterans to give back to their community than in training these wonderful dogs to serve their disabled brothers and sisters in arms. The time that our Veterans spend with the dogs has been so therapeutic for the Veterans, and so valuable for the disabled Veterans that the dogs will ultimately serve.”

Marine Corps Veteran Kenneth Combs says he enjoyed his experience working with the dogs and learned a lot about himself at the same time.

“The Warrior Canine Connection program is an invaluable program that not only helps the final veterans that receive the animals but everyone who is involved,” said Combs, VTC Program Participant. “I just want to say that this was a life-changing experience for me and it was one of the best things that has also helped turn my life into a happier one. I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone. Especially if you want to learn more about yourself as it will help you understand yourself better as well as others. Overall, I believe this program is amazing and will change the life of any person involved for the better.”

San Mateo County Superior Court is the fourth county in California (in addition to Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Francisco) to offer WCC’s service dog training program as part of its VTC.

Program Manager Jessica Podkulski, WCC, says the program is a real win-win — the Veterans benefit from the training, as do the dogs — who will ultimately go on to assist other Warriors.

“WCC is both proud and thankful for all of the contributions these Veterans have made to training future service dogs for their fellow Veterans,” said Podkulski. “These Veterans have been contributing essential service dog training while also navigating the criminal justice system and shown to be an asset within their communities. This past year, Veterans in this Court have trained the dogs to navigate movie theaters, cafes, large events, court hearings, community centers, and even participated in speaking engagements to help educate community members. Being able to provide a therapeutic community service option for the Veterans in this Court has been a wonderful experience for WCC staff and our service dogs in training. We look forward to continuing our involvement with the San Mateo County VTC.”

In addition to California, Warrior Canine Connection offers service dog training in the Baltimore, Maryland VTC and through partner program, Assistance Dogs of the West, which is based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The WCC VTC Program was developed and implemented thanks in part to a 2017 grant provided by the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The Foundation had provided a previous 2016 grant to WCC to oversee a feasibility plan to use service dogs as a community service option.

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