Onward & Upward

Onward & Upward

With your help, Therapy Teams will soon be able to safely visit in-person again!

As we reflect on the past months of the pandemic, we can’t help but think of you – our supporters and volunteers who kept Hand in Paw going. We want to take a moment and say thank you for staying with us and allowing us the chance to see opportunity in the challenges we faced. Your assistance in adapting to virtual programming, participation in fundraising events, and dedication to helping others in need has made all the difference this year.

With the support and wisdom of our Board of Directors, Hand in Paw is excited to announce our plans to safely return to in-person visits! You read that right! As COVID vaccines become more readily available and the risk of infection in Alabama continues to decline, we are thrilled to begin a thorough process to train Therapy Teams to visit safely in a post-COVID world.

This process will begin slowly as we start by hosting small, socially-distanced Therapy Team refresher courses which introduce new health and safety visit-protocol. Then, we will work toward evaluating and working with Therapy Teams that are due for renewals. Our goal is to make everyone feel comfortable and confident in returning to in-person visits after so many months at home.

Kiersten Atkinson, Hand in Paw Director of Volunteer and Programs, and Stacey Roudebush, Hand in Paw Volunteer Coordinator, are committed to preparing our Therapy Teams to serve the community as soon as health guidelines allow:

Our fantastic volunteers have been incredibly patient during our long ‘paws’ from visiting in-person,” says Kiersten. “We are thrilled to invite our teams back to HIP which will give us an opportunity to meet with our teams and review our updated guidelines to return to in-person visiting. Hand in Paw staff will work be working closely with our Program Partners to ensure volunteer, staff, and client safety. As we move forward carefully, we remain dedicated to helping our community heal through the goodness of Animal-Assisted Therapy!

This is such an exciting time at Hand in Paw – a time to reconnect, rebuild and refresh. We are relying on your support to continue the reputation of Hand in Paw’s commitment to professional and safe therapeutic visits.

To help us during this transition, please consider making a donation by visiting handinpaw.org/donate.

The future of Hand in Paw is very bright – and with the talent and generosity of our Volunteers, Board, Staff, and Donors – we are positioned to thrive by serving our community through both in-person AND virtual visits.

Therapy Team refresher courses are happening thanks to YOU!

A planned gift to Hand in Paw can make an impact on generations to come. Ask your estate planner or email Beth Franklin at beth@handinpaw.org to see how you can create a lasting legacy.