2021 FALL NEWSLETTER
GOLDEN
It’s good to
be back!
School’s Best Friend Training
Wags for Wellness Visit
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Season of Gratitude Fall is my absolute favorite time of year! It’s a season of gratitude and there is so much I am grateful for at Hand in Paw. In-person visits are back, new Therapy Teams are being trained, and new partnerships are being made - all of which you can read about in this edition of Golden! But most of all I am grateful for you, our donors and selfless volunteers, who make our mission possible. This is an exciting time for Hand in Paw, and it’s all thanks to YOU! Our newest HIP program, Wags for Wellness, provides therapy to stressed, frontline healthcare professionals at UAB and Children’s Hospital. This restorative wellness program was created by Hand in Paw in collaboration with UAB Hospital. We are very grateful to VP Funds and The Daniel Foundation of Alabama for supporting this service. Hand in Paw sends a huge thank you to our healthcare community that is taking care of people in this unpredictable and ongoing health crisis.
HIP Therapy Teams recently completed advanced training in the School’s Best Friend program and will be visiting Exceptional classrooms. We have 7 new teams in training and are very excited to return to a normal recruiting and training schedule. Our program partners are contacting us daily with requests for visits. For those of you who were able to attend Picasso Pets in August – thank you! It was a smaller event this year; with COVID cases on the rise, however, we managed to earn more than $200,000 to support our mission. We are already excited about Picasso Pets 2022. Please follow us on social media to learn more about events and opportunities at Hand in Paw. As always – please contact me with any questions or comments. Your feedback is always appreciated.
Margaret Stinnett Executive Director
Thanks to Our Picasso Pets Sponsors: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Mr. & Mrs. Scott Vowell, Birmingham Legion FC, John 3:16, Medical Properties Trust, Diamonds Direct, Dr. Jim & Katie Lasker, George W. Barber Foundation, Haynes & Haynes,P.C., Idie & Chris Hastings, Kay Aldridge, Kim Morgan Day, Lynn & Benny LaRussa, Southern Power, Southern Company Services, UAB Medicine, Creative Dog Training, Dr. Susan & Rick Nelms in Memory of Christopher, DSLD Land Management, Jennifer Buettner Bates, On Services, Patty McDonald & Jeffrey Klinner, Niki Lim & Seth Roden, Caring Foundation of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama, EBSCO, Encompass Health, Dog Days of Birmingham, Dustin Massey Studios, OBGYN Associates of Alabama, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Riverview Animal Clinic, Sheryl & Jon Kimerling, The Pawms Pet Resort Avondale, The Thompson Foundation
Picasso Pets 2021
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But most of all I am grateful for you, our donors and selfless volunteers, who make our mission possible! Margaret & Oakley
you
Make Pawsitive Partnerships Possible!
Hand in Paw Teams inspire the next generation of animal advocates. Thanks to you, Hand in Paw had the opportunity to partner with the Greater Birmingham Humane Society during their summer Critter Camp. This inclusive summer camp nurtures compassion for all living beings through interactive activities, humane education, and hands-on exercises with youth. During “PAWS Camp”, campers ages from 6-12 learned about animal behavior and positive reinforcement techniques. Hand in Paw Therapy Teams demonstrated the importance of socialization, consistent training, and how to build a trusting relationship with their furry teammate. HIP Therapy Teams were eager to share their firsthand experiences volunteering in our community through Animal-Assisted Activities and Animal-Assisted Therapy. Each team told their story of what inspired them to do therapy work with their dogs, how they trained together to become a Hand in Paw team, and what they like best about this special type of volunteer work. HIP staff led a lively discussion on ways in which dogs communicate with humans. Campers shared examples of how their pets communicate with them through body language, eye contact, and vocalization.
Fun Fact: Therapy dogs Jake and Gus were both adopted from GBHS!
“Everyone was so excited when Hand in Paw visited Critter Camp – some campers already knew about HIP and some got to learn about therapy animals for the first time. The teams that visited really helped our PAWS Campers understand the importance of therapy animals, their handlers, and the training that they go through to be able to help people! It was really special, and we can’t wait to have Hand in Paw back at Critter Camp next year!” Kasey Rawlings, Outreach and Education Coordinator GBHS Kiersten Atkinson, Director of Volunteers and Programs at Hand in Paw says, “It’s wonderful to see Hand in Paw come full circle to where our founder, Beth Franklin, was motivated to create the first Animal Assisted Therapy organization in Birmingham. The positive relationships that Beth witnessed between youth and animals at GBHS were the first inspiration of Hand in Paw and will remain a legacy.”
Kids are experiencing the powerful humananimal bond, thanks to you!
It’s so exciting to collaborate with local nonprofits and support each other’s missions. We are so thankful for you, our donors and volunteers, who make these partnerships possible!
Help Hand in Paw partner with more facilities by making a donation using the envelope provided or visit handinpaw.org/donate.
Will Work for Pets! How your donations are providing much-needed furry stress relief! Can we all agree that work has been a bit stressful for the past year and a half? While everyone’s experience has been a bit different, with many adjusting to working from home and others working overtime, what we have in common is that these challenges have taken a toll on our mental health! That’s where Hand in Paw says, “bring in the furry therapist!” Thanks to your donations, Hand in Paw Therapy Teams are making restorative Wags for Wellness visits in an effort to boost morale and alleviate stress during this unpredictable and ongoing public health crisis.
One program partner we recently visited is McLeod Software. After working from home for several months, they transitioned back to working inperson and wanted to take extra steps to focus on the employee experience. “Our employees enjoy the visits from the Hand in Paw Therapy Teams tremendously! It’s a wonderful opportunity for our employees to connect with a furry friend, and each other for a few moments out of the day,” says Meribeth Gilbert, HR Director. Therapy Teams also visited Child Life Specialists at Children’s of Alabama, who have been working overtime to provide activities and support for the hospitalized
children in their care. Therapy Team handler Carol Ritter comments, “I felt that our visit, just for them, was greatly appreciated. They do such a great service for the kids and deserve the much-needed stress relief.” The Wags for Wellness program was created by Hand in Paw in collaboration with UAB Hospital and is provided at no cost thanks to your ongoing support!
To donate to the Wags for Wellness program, please use the envelope provided or visit our website at handinpaw.org/donate!
Wags for Wellness visits boosts morale and alleviates stress during this unpredictable and ongoing health crisis.
It’s
hip to Have You at Hand in Paw!
With COVID putting in-person visits on “paws” for over a year, our focus this Spring and Summer was to research and implement new health and safety guidelines to allow for the return of safe, in-person visits from Therapy Teams. Because of your support, we were able to host Therapy Team refresher courses, team renewal evaluations, and officially began visiting program partners in-person in June! Now that our current Therapy Teams are up-to-speed and back to regularly scheduled visits, Hand in Paw is eager to bring in some fresh (and furry) faces! The volunteer department is currently meeting and screening qualified applicants who have applied to volunteer on our website during our pause. The volunteers who pass their screenings will then start Hand in Paw Therapy Team training, be evaluated and start visiting! As we enter this exciting season of recruitment, we want to take a moment and say “thanks.” Thank you for your patience as we strive to safely meet with new applicants and for your donations which have allowed us to adapt and continue growing.
If you are interested in becoming a Therapy Team, be sure to apply on our website at handinpaw.org/volunteer!
New Therapy Teams are being screened because of your support!