2 minute read
Onward & Upward
Onward & Upward
A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD PRESIDENT
As my term as Board President began in 2022, COVID was still wreaking havoc on Hand in Paw. Despite desperate need, some of our Program Partners were still keeping our therapy teams away over health concerns. The toll the battle against this pernicious pandemic took on the caregivers and first responders was tremendous. They needed us; we needed them.
Then suddenly things changed. Visiting restrictions lifted. People greeted the opportunity to see our beautiful and enthusiastic teams again. The Wags for Wellness program, which brought our teams to visit healthcare professionals specifically, expanded beyond UAB. We recruited dozens of new teams. Programs like Sit, Stay, Read took off, helping scores of children feel comfortable not only reading, but interacting again. We held Mutt Strut in Homewood Park and drew a huge crowd, bringing new donors, volunteers, and teams into our tent. Picasso Pets returned to the Harbert Center and was a similar triumph. Our prior Partners invited us back in droves, joined by a flurry of new ones.
In 2023 we started serving the Jefferson County Family Courts. We expanded our senior homes and facilities visits. Our Tuscaloosa programs flourished. New teams joined at a record pace to fill the need and spread the hope, comfort, and joy our furry teams provide. We are working at an entirely new level now.
But none of this would be possible without all of you - our donors, volunteers, staff, and Board members (including our Junior Board). Your hard work, generosity, patience, empathy, and care for your community inspires Hand in Paw to continue to expand and grow, serving as many as we can, always at no cost to our recipients. Thank you for everything you’ve done during my tenure as Board President. It is the proudest two years of my life, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings
Todd Engelhardt, Board President
