The recipient for our 2024 holiday drive is: Guide Dog Foundation!

  In 1946, when the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind was founded, its mission was simple: to provide guide dogs and training – free of charge – to people who were blind or have low vision. 

For more than 75 years, the Guide Dog Foundation has trained and placed guide dogs and service dogs to provide increased independence and enhanced mobility to individuals who are blind, have low vision, or other disabilities.  Once the decision is made to get a guide dog, applicants become part of the Foundations' open and welcoming community and are supported with an uncompromising commitment to excellence, from highly empathetic and certified trainers, to a meticulously constructed curriculum.

 In 2003, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind recognized the need for an assistance dog program for veterans that would incorporate guide dogs, service dogs, and innovative training techniques. America’s VetDogs was created and incorporated to give veterans easy access to the best services possible to improve their lives. 

 In 2008, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind became the first assistance dog school in the United States to be accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International, the two international bodies that certify guide and service dog schools, respectively. The Foundation has also consistently received high marks from charity watchdog organizations, such as Charity Navigator, the Better Business Bureau, and GuideStar. 

To learn more about the history of the Foundation, CLICK HERE .