Hand in Paw is grateful to VP Funds for making the HIP Activity Book come to life!
You keep the
Joy Coming!
How your support helps spread joy, even after a Hand in Paw visit has ended. A visit from a Hand in Paw Therapy Team can be so beneficial for children! From helping a child achieve academic and educational goals in the classroom, to providing an empathetic paw to a child going through difficult physical and mental challenges - the benefits are innumerable. But how can Hand in Paw continue to provide comfort and joy to kids once a visit has ended? Well, thanks to a generous grant from VP Funds and your continued support, a fun, customillustrated Activity Book was designed and produced to help do just that! The Hand in Paw Activity Book has 6 engaging activities for kids to enjoy! Each activity features adorable illustrations that relate to Hand in Paw’s mission, programs, and Therapy Teams. The first round of activity books that were produced through the support of VP Funds went to our friends at Children’s of Alabama!
Mary H., Child Life Specialist at Children’s of Alabama notes the impact of the activity book after a visit with therapy dog Kenzi, “So many of my patients love spending time with Kenzi! The activity book is an added bonus as it allows them to get to know more about other Hand in Paw dogs and it gives them a keepsake to remember the precious time they spent with Kenzi.” With your donations, we will be able to add new activities to this joy-filled book every year and give them to even more children and program partners! Thank you for helping spread joy even after a HIP visit has ended!
You can help fund the production of more Hand in Paw Activity Books by donating using the envelope provided or by visiting handinpaw.org/donate
A Summer for the Books! During the summer months, many school children experience what is commonly called the “summer slide” and return to school having lost some of the knowledge they gained the previous school year. But thanks to your generosity, Hand in Paw Therapy Teams were able to help combat this problem by hosting a free summer reading program for the first time at our campus! The reading initiative was called Come, Sit, Stay Read! and was open to K-5th grade students. During the program, students had 30-minute one-on-one reading sessions with Therapy Teams and experienced the joy and positive motivation that reading to a nonjudgmental furry friend provides. Heather Messer, local 3rd grade teacher states, “This was a wonderful program to get struggling readers to come out of their shell. I saw my own two children and was in awe watching the joy reading to Fletcher brought to them!” In total, 95 students participated in the summer Come, Sit, Stay, Read! program - This success was made possible because of you! Thank you for helping local students start the 2022-2023 school year on the right paw!
To support Hand in Paw’s Animal-Assisted Education initiatives, please make a donation using the envelope provided.
