The three-year grant will place dogs with Gold Star Families and children affected by blindness and crisis
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (April 2, 2019) – The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on human and animal health solutions, announced today a $150,000 donation to Southeastern Guide Dogs, a nonprofit focused on transforming lives by creating and nurturing extraordinary partnerships between people and dogs. With the support of this multi-year grant, Southeastern Guide Dogs will be able to increase placements of guide and companion dogs with visually impaired teenagers and children, as well as families of fallen service members and with child advocate professionals in courtrooms.
“We are grateful to receive this generous three-year grant from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation,” says Titus Herman, CEO of Southeastern Guide Dogs. “Southeastern Guide Dogs does not charge for its dogs or services and receives no government support. Instead, the charity relies on the generosity of individual donors, corporations and foundations to fund its programs. This grant enables us to expand our services to children and teens, providing them and their families with hope for the future.”
As part of the services to children and teens, which are supported by the Foundation grant, five trained guide dogs will be placed with legally-blind teenagers and 10 companion dogs will be placed with visually impaired children to offer them a new sense of confidence, independence and mobility. Prior to being matched with a guide dog, parents and teens have the opportunity to attend a three-day overnight camp where trainers introduce families to guide dog ownership and instruct them on how to safely navigate with their future companions to ensure success.
Additionally, the program will provide four caring, highly-skilled dogs to Gold Star Families – families who have lost loved ones in service to their country – to promote healing and provide encouragement. The program will also offer one child advocacy dog placement, a service that provides dogs to adults who assist children in crisis, such as those who enter the court system.
“The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is steadfast in our commitment to making a positive, long-lasting impact by enriching the lives of our global community. To achieve our mission, we look for partners that redefine and increase access to care and are working to actively improve the overall wellbeing of both human and animal health populations,” said Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation. “To that end, we’re proud to work alongside Southeastern Guide Dogs, which operates at the intersection of human and animal health providing unmatched training and care for animals who will serve as a dedicated companion to children and families, and, in turn, will know the comfort of loving homes.”
Through its Human & Animal Grant Program, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation supports organizations at the local and national level who increase access to human and animal healthcare and education.