Twestival Home

Adult Congenital Heart Association
We are a fairly young charity, and congenital heart disease has only come to light with physicians in recent years. We are born with minor to seriously defective hearts - malformed, misconstructed hearts, inside and out; the physicians for years have corrected these defects and sent us on our way thinking we would live normal lives. In recent years, my generation (40 yrs old) have needed valve transplants, multiple open heart surgeries, among other things despite annual medical check-ups and care. Recently, I’ve been appointed to the ACHA’s BoD, and we are working continuously to lobby Congress as well as educate physicians and patients alike. A huge part of my job is fundraising, and it would be my sincere honor to be a participant in the Knoxville Twestival.

Agape, Inc.
We have been serving women who are uninsured and have no other means of obtaining help for 40 years with focus on self responsibility, independence and healing. For every woman we rehabilitate, it positively helps not only them, but their children, husband, parents and siblings.  All of this is provided on a small budget with stewardship of each penny and each sheet of copy paper.  With successful rehabilitation, many lives and families are mended, and millions of dollars saved thus reducing the burden on social programs and taxpayers in Knox County.

A Hand Up For Women
This particular organization functions on most of their financial support from individual support.
This is not in a budget from the city, state nor county. This organization takes women in from all walks of life and teaches them life skills, interpersonal communications, job skills, resumes, anger management, bible study ,money management, computer skills, professional dress and many other things. These Ladies are from so many different walks of life—drugs, alcohol, abusive relationships, and a variety of others. Ladies that have never ever been self sufficient and now they are. I have watched Ladies come through this program, graduate and then become successful homeowners and productive citizens. This is a program that needs to be recognized it is unreal what goes on in these classrooms. One of our Ladies now owns her own business. My merea has been clean 5 years, now married and they own a home plus have a little baby. Wow check this out!!!!! This is a happening program that meets every Tuesday and Thursday night. The Ladies form such a bond with each other and then their mentor. We truly need the financial support.

American Red Cross
Can you imagine the Red Cross not showing up to a house fire, or not sheltering families after a natural disaster…or not training people in CPR - a life-saving act? No you expect the Red Cross to always be there…because we always have been there. But being there, showing up, costs money. We train volunteers to do the work but even that training has a pricetag. Your Knoxville Area Red Cross provided over 95,000 real services just last year, all while preparing this community for whatever mother nature brings our way in the future. We are not a government agency….it is through the generousity of individuals in this community that we are able to invest their financial contribution into helping families after a disaster strikes, teaching children safety and first aid, sending emergency military communication messages to our soldiers, and training people to respond to a life threatening emergency. If we don’t do this….who will?

Beardsley Community Farm
Beardsley Community Farm is leading the Community Agriculture movement in Knoxville promoting healthy food by gardening, nutritional/environmental services and teaching. Beardsley was started about 10 years ago in a low income area of Knoxville (Mechanicsville) where there were no grocery stores and no fresh food available. Beardsley has successfully engaged the community, teaching not only how to grow food, but also how to rebuild and strengthen a neighborhood. Community Agriculture is a mushrooming trend that sprung up in response to a demoralizing distancing of people from the food they eat. It addresses not only good health through healthy eating, but also empowers people by teaching them how to provide their own sustenance in a healthy way. The people at Beardsley are hard working and dedicated to making a difference. It is important that we support them. To hear Ben Epperson the director talk about Beardsley, listen to this podcast in which he leads a discussion about Animal, Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. After he describes the book he shares what Beardsley has done and plans to do. Very informative and inspiring

Campbell Culture Coalition
The Campbell Culture Coalition (CCC) began only 4 years ago and has accomplished a great deal for an impoverished county with a bad self-image. As the first Campbell County culture & arts organization to exist since the 80s, the CCC has galvanized the community with such things as: the annual Louie Bluie Music & Arts Festival held at Cove Lake State Park; outreach programs in the schools teaching children about local heritage; and, reviving Cove Lake’s popular “Christmas in the Park” as a co-sponsor. The CCC also sponsored the first hosting location out of six in Tennessee for a traveling, Smithsonian exhibit called “New Harmonies.” The national exhibit displayed information about America’s musical heritage. The CCC’s added features of live music and local exhibits led Dr. Carroll Van West, Director of the Center for Historical Preservation, to commend the efforts of the CCC as one of the best he’s seen. These things are particularly significant given the fact that they have been accomplished with an all volunteer staff. The CCC has rated very high in many competitive state grant programs including the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Arts Alliance of Knoxville. Given the unique challenges of a rural county with poor education, drug abuse and wide-spread dependency, this is a remarkable achievement. As a founding board member, I am very proud of this group’s tireless efforts and believe it definitely deserves consideration for your acknowledgement. The vision of giving hope to a generally hopeless public has come true in our brief existence. It’s been said, changing expectations is the most difficult thing to do when working with people. Well, we’ve done that and now there’s positive energy flowing throughout our community for many new prospects of development that didn’t exist before. That is perhaps the greatest achievement of all.

Cerebral Palsy Center of Knoxville
Cerebral Palsy patients suffer from faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain. This disruption causes a lack of ability to adequately control body movement and requires extensive support services (personal assistance, therapy, educational and vocational training, transportation, employment opportunities, etc). Most of all people with cerebral palsy need the opportunity for independence and full inclusion in our society. Cerebral Palsy Center provides this support and more significantly; these patients have NO WHERE ELSE to go.

Child & Family Tennessee
CHILD & FAMILY TENNESSEE HELPS PEOPLE IN MORE WAYS THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE!!!! Last year we touched the lives of almost 29,000 people in east Tennessee – more than 23,000 were children. With 35 programs filling unique Knoxville needs we are working to change our community for the better by helping one child and one family at a time. Programs like Safe Place and The Runaway Shelter provide an open home and refuge for teenagers who are troubled enough to leave their homes and find themselves with nowhere to go and nowhere to turn to. Another program like no other is Great Starts Nursery where infants and preschool children born to moms who use drugs and alcohol receive educational services so they are ready for school like other children. Kids on the Block teaches children in elementary schools across Knox County about safety and health. “Betsy”, a 17-year old, is typical of many youth who come to the Runaway Shelter. She had a 1-year old daughter and was unable to raise Sophie, maintain her job, and keep her home. Eventually, Betsy could not pay rent and lost their home. She came to the Runaway Shelter for help. With support and case management, almost a year later she is in a different place. She and Sophie live in their own apartment, Sophie thrives at a local daycare, and Betsy has steady, full-time employment at a local call center. Child & Family helps people change their lives.

Community Mediation Center
Community Mediation Center is the best kept secret in Knoxville. We provide dispute resolution services to the citizens of Knoxville, regardless of their ability to pay. CMC also trains volunteer mediators from our community who provide our excellent mediation services. For 15 years, CMC has provided pro bono and sliding scale divorce and parenting mediation, and currently accept approximately 1000 referrals each year from Knox County General Sessions Court, Juvenile Court, schools, Knoxville Police Department, the Knox County Sheriff, neighborhood organizations, nonprofits and small businesses, churches. Of course, we accept self-referrals. We’ve revived our peer mediation program; in August, 2009, six middle schools in Knox County will receive training so that students can mediate student disputes in school. Our goal is to empower people to manage their own conflicts and, when possible, to resolve their disputes peacefully and safely, without resorting to an expensive legal process.

Community Shares
From their mission statement: “Community Shares believes all Tennesseans deserve a clean environment, affordable health care, good jobs, culture, art, and freedom from violence.” Community Shares is a non-profit based here in Knoxville with an office in Nashville. They support many other non-profit social change agencies across the state who work to help solve many of the environmental, ecological, social justice and other issues that affect everyone. Their approach is one of systemic change and seems cutting edge to me so what better than using cutting edge social media to help raise money for them?

East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
In an economy where most every business is seeing a decline, this is not the case when it comes to pediatric health care. Children’s Hospital is seeing more and more children and teens walking through the doors than ever before. Yet, the hospital is providing much more charity care due to several families’ inability to pay for services. Since day-one, Children’s has maintained the Open-Door Policy which states that the hospital will treat every child, regardless of ability to pay. And last year, $0.54 of every dollar billed was NOT reimbursed to Children’s Hospital. This is why fund-raising is so important to the hospital and to the health care future for East Tennessee’s Children. Parents have a choice when it comes to their child’s care and many choose Children’s–it’s a place where pediatrics is the only concern. It’s a true resource in the community and not only deserves, but depends on the community’s support to continue to provide the best health care to East Tennessee’s children.

Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council
Last Friday, July 24th, WBIR-TV’s viewers voted the Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council as THE charity doing the most for the community during this recession. The Girl Scouts teach girls and their adult volunteer mentors how to think (not what to think), how to set and achieve goals, and how to help others at ALL times. They do this all while giving financial assistance to EVERY girl that needs it. (Last year, $85,000 was spent in financial assistance alone!) If every girl could participate in Girl Scouting, this world would be a better place.

Girls on the Run of Greater Knoxville
Girls on the Run of Greater Knoxville is a life-changing, character development program for girls in 3rd through 8th grades. Our mission is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. We use the power of running to provide girls with the tools to celebrate their bodies, honor their voices, recognize their gifts, and activate their personal power. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development. GOTRGK is committed to helping young women fulfill their potential by decreasing the percentage of at-risk activities and empowering a generation of self-aware girls who are tomorrow’s role models for a healthy, balanced lifestyle. The organization is a community collaboration and is funded by fees, donations and grants. We rely entirely on the generosity and support of local individuals, businesses and organizations. Without the support of the greate r Knoxville area, Girls on the Run would not exist. With more funding, we can make it possible for more girls to participate in our program, especially for our scholarship-only sites, one of our areas of greatest need. Our founder Molly Barker often states “we are changing the world, one girl at a time!”

Great Smoky Mountain Council - Boy Scouts of America
The Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America has been serving youth throughout the entire East Tennessee Region for almost 100 years. Our Citizenship, Character Development and Physical Fitness programs help both youth men and women develop the knowledge, skills and abilites to make ethical decisions and be productive, lifelong citizens. We have programs for youth - ages 5 thru 21 - that inlcude outdoor activites, character development and career preparation. We have proven ourselves to be a stable and well integrated resource in the community. We currently serve approximately 16,000 youth and look to an even greater investment in our region as the years go by!

Haven House
One in three women experience domestic violence in their lifetimes. Services to victims are essential to a healthy, functioning community. Haven House has seen a 35% increase in all services, including crisis calls, emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy and support, during the past twelve months. Our resources are being tapped beyond our capacity. On behalf of your daughter or sister or neighbor or coworker or yourself, please support the domestic violence victims in our midst by choosing Haven House!

Horse Haven of Tennessee
Horse Haven of Tennessee has been working hard since 1999 to give a voice to the magnificent creatures they serve because they feel strongly that equine do not deserve to suffer at the hands of man, they have so faithfully served throughout the centuries. Working daily with limited funds, they have provided a much needed service and now proudly carry the title of Tennessee’s Oldest and Largest Equine Humane Society.

Human Animal Bond in Tennessee
Human Animal Bond in Tennessee (H.A.B.I.T.) takes medically and behaviorally screened pets to visit in hospitals, cancer centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and schools: anywhere that the unconditional love and cheer of companion animals (dogs, cats, and rabbits) will improve the lives of people who are suffering or in need of encouragement. We are a volunteer-run, community-based program of the College of Veterinary Medicine at The University of Tennessee. While we have over 100 H.A.B.I.T. facilities in seven counties and around 150 active volunteers, it is our goal to expand our program throughout East Tennessee: no easy undertaking, in light of declining donations in uncertain economic times. Our organization’s funding comes from membership and facility fees and donor contributions. In order for us to expand, we will need support from our community, and those who understand the gift of animal companionship. Any additiona l funding raised by the Twestival event will be put to use bringing dogs to classrooms to help children learn to love reading or for bringing smiles and moments of unadulterated pleasure to people facing medical and emotional difficulties.

Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley
The Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley has been working to protect the animals of East Tennessee for 125 years. We do not receive money from any city, county, or state government or any national organization. HSTV operates solely through the generous support of the community.

Imagination Library
Imagination Library was founded by Dolly Parton 1996 to make sure all young children have books in their homes. In Knox County, over 17,000 children under the age of five are registered to receive a free book every month. For some families, this is the only source of books in the home. While it’s lots of fun to get a book from Dolly every month, the implications are much more sober. By the time children enter school, they should be able to recognize letters and numbers, shapes and colors. They should be handling books, and turn pages one page at a time. They should be asking interpretive questions. But the sad reality is that over one third children entering Kindergarten are already behind. They are not prepared to learn and already require remediation. They struggle to catch up and in many cases, if they are not caught up by third grade, they will struggle for life. Several states guage their future prison populations on third grade literacy rates. Receiving a book in the mail every month as a toddler is a simple and important way to prevent a life time of underachievement and the associated costs. Not only does it make books available to all young families, but it highlights the priority we place on literacy as a culture. And prevention is much more effective and desirable than the alternative.

JustLead
JustLead should be chosen for Knoxville Twestival because we have a PASSION to see our city’s young people rise up as leaders! JustLead, the flagship ministry of Emerald Youth Foundation, has been serving Knoxville’s urban children and youth for more than 20 years–nearly 1,000 young people (ages 6-18) are served annually. The JustLead mission is to raise up the youth to love Jesus Christ and become effective leaders who will renew their communities. The mission is accomplished through faith development, academic reinforcement, relationship building and health improvement activities. JustLead’s 2009 budget is $1.9 million, with the majority of funding from foundations, individuals and businesses. We also receive government funding as an AmeriCorps site.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF should be chosen for the Knoxville Twestival because TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A CURE - that’s great news & we can all get excited about being part of the cure. But most importantly, because our kids deserve it! As many as 3 million Americans* have type 1 diabetes, a disease most often diagnosed in childhood that strikes suddenly, lasts a lifetime, and carries the constant threat of deadly complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation. JDRF’s mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Thanks to dramatic research progress, a cure is now within OUR reach.

Knox Heritage, Inc.
Knox Heritage works to preserve structures and places with historic or cultural significance. Sometimes people assume historic preservation is all about the past. But preservationists do their work for the benefit of the future. We encourage homeowners, developers, city & county planners, and others to leave an architectural and cultural legacy to the next generation. It maintains a link to our past — who we were and where we came from — in order to better plan for the future. Historic preservation builds stronger neighborhoods, stimulates economic development, creates a strong sense of place, and encourages smart growth. In this time of emphasis on sustainability, historic preservation is the ultimate in recycling! Knox Heritage is now working with 15 counties in East Tennessee, helping those in neighboring communities to learn from our 35 years of experience. We need your support more than ever.

Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is an independent, nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that partners with people of all beliefs. Knoxville Habitat for Humanity has been an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International since 1985. We build simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with qualified low income families in need, and empower them to achieve an integral part of the American Dream: homeownership. Volunteers and the future homeowners provide the labor in building the homes, and tax deductible donations of money, land and materials are provided by individuals, organizations and corporations. Since 1985, we have completed more than 365 homes in Knox County, and more than 1,100 men, women and children currently reside in Habitat homes. Of that number, more than half are under the age of 18, and the majority of those children are under age 10. We are an organization with a powerful mission that tangibly and positively changes the lives of our families.

Knoxville News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund
The News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund began in 1912 and is the oldest corporate charity in the region providing food and gift to thousands of families during the holidays. The 70 lb basket is filled with enough food to feed a typical family of 4 for 7 days. This year we plan to distribute 3600 baskets (an increase of 100) and toys to approximately 3,000 children. With your help, we can help more families! Please help us to continue this wonderful holiday tradition in our region.

Knoxville Zoo’s ZooFund for Kids
An important part of Knoxville Zoo’s mission of education, conservation and recreation is the ZooFund for Kids. ZooFund for Kids is a program offered by the zoo to provide admission to the zoo for children who otherwise would not be able to afford a visit to the zoo. Knoxville Zoo is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and an important educational resource for the East Tennessee region. ZooFund for Kids is a fund solely dedicated to serving less-advantaged children in our area and allows us to provide a unique and adventurous learning opportunity. Unfortunately, the number of request we receive far exceeds the funds we have available, and all Twestival funds would allow us to give more kids the chance to experience the wonders of nature and teach them how they can have a local as well as global involvement in conservation.

Legacy Parks Foundation
The Legacy Parks Foundation is currently mounting a campaign to save a historic and scenic ridge in South Knoxville from construction, preserving a viewscape from downtown that contributes to the beauty and character of our city. The Urban Wilderness and Historic Corridor is a $6 million initiative to create a 1,000 acre Urban Wilderness and Historic Corridor paralleling the South Knoxville Waterfront Development in the heart of Knoxville. It will contain three civil war forts, historic settlement sites, and diverse ecological features and recreational amenities and be connected by a system of greenways and natural trails. Two key parcels within the corridor are under contract to purchase and the clock is ticking to raise $2.5 million needed to secure the land. One of these parcels is Fort Stanley Ridge, containing the third of three contiguous civil war forts within the Corridor. The other is the River Bluff Wildlife Area, a 70-acre parcel that will protect the most significant green space and bluff across the river from downtown Knoxville. Once purchased and protected, it will become a city wildlife area with walking trails, two ponds and river access within a lush forest.

Lisa Ross Birth and Women’s Center
For 18 years, the Lisa Ross Birth and Women’s Center (LRBWC) has provided a place where natural birth is truly supported under the care of certified nurse-midwives. In addition, LRBWC fills a huge health disparity gap by providing prenatal care to women who have difficulty accessing prenatal care elsewhere for financial reasons. Programs have been developed to better serve teens, hispanic women (with the use of 3 interpreters), promote and support breastfeeding, and provide waterbirth as well as hospital birth options. An on-site social worker provides case management to assist patients with housing needs, food and clothing or domestic violence issues. 400 pregnant women per year are served by the caring staff who allow for 30-minute prenatal visits so that any and all questions the client has are adequately addressed and a trusting relationship with the nurse-midwife has time to develop. Continuous labor support is provided by the midwi fe. Women are encouraged to have their baby their way!

March of Dimes
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. We work toward this goal by raising funds that go to research, education and advocacy. These funds help babies born in our community as well as state and nationwide. Babies are our future and premature birth is reaching crisis levels in our nation. May of those born prematurely do not survive and many of those that do are faced with life long challenges both mentally and physically. The March of Dimes is a champion for babies—those born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive. Won’t you help us to save babies?

Random Acts of Flowers
Random Acts of Flowers is a new organization; in only five months we have delivered 1000 smiles to area hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. We hope to continue spreading joy and offering comfort by delivering bouquets made from “recycled” flowers for many years to come. One of the great aspects of our Mission is how instantly we can fulfill it; there is no sitting around waiting to see the fruits of our labors. We are delivering smiles every week to the people of our community who really need the attention. It seems that everyone can relate to how uplifting a bouquet of flowers can be while confined to a hospital bed with nothing to do. Twitter has been a great way to not only keep our Board Members informed but to share our great works with people all over the world. We look forward to participating in Twestival: Knoxville!

Safe Haven
Note: I am not an employee or current client of Safe Haven. However, in the past I have been a patient/client (hence the anonymity). Safe Haven’s home page explains their mission well: “Our commitment to victims of sexual assault and abuse is unwavering. We offer advocacy, therapy, forensic nursing services, and education to all persons regardless of age, gender, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or length of time since the occurrence.” Safe Haven also operates a crisis hotline. After my rape, I found the services of Safe Haven, including therapy that they provided free of charge because my insurance wouldn’t cover it, to be indispensable.

Saving Little Hearts
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defect and the leading cause of death in infants from a birth defect. In the United States alone, more than 40,000 babies will be born each year with a CHD. Saving Little Hearts is dedicated to helping children with congenital heart defects and their families by providing emotional assistance and educational information primarily through the distribution of Surgery Care Packages. Since 2002, Saving Little Hearts has provided care packages to several thousand families throughout the USA in addition to providing support through in person group functions and worldwide online parent matching. In 2002 we had small simple ideas on how to make a difference. Little did we know that in just a few years we would be a national organization. That we would get comments on how we made a complete stranger feel a little better about a terrible situation. We aren’t trying to take on the world. We just want to help as many heart families as possible. Maybe one day we will be able to help them all at some point along their journey into the world of heart disease.

SOAR Youth Ministries
Children are our future. So my favorite Knoxville charity is one that works with children. SOAR Youth Ministry works with at risk inner-city school students providing them with safe place to be, homework help, training in life skills, a warm meal and most of all love and care. I volunteer at SOAR from time-to-time and admire the dedication and love of the staff. Because of lack of funds they are understaffed and so have to work long hours. If they were chosen for the Twestival, they could spend more time focusing on the children - and less on the finances. These children come from heart-breaking situations, and SOAR offers them hope in an otherwise bleak situation.

The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has been meeting physical, emotional and spiritual needs without discrimination in the Knoxville area since 1899. Our shelters offer a temporary home and a hand up - not a hand out - to homeless men, women and families. Our emergency assistance program helps bridge the gap between unexpected expenses and income for nearly 30,000 people every year with things like groceries, clothing, fuel and utilities assistance. Our church ministries provide the support of a spiritual community for all ages. Our disaster relief programs provide food, spiritual support and practical help for victims of natural disasters. 83 cents of every dollar you donate goes directly to programs and services. Now, more than ever, The Salvation Army needs your help to continue “doing the most good.”

Tribe One
With 47% of all African American youth in Knoxville living below the poverty level, neighborhood schools struggling and persistent crime in the area, it is clear that no substantive leadership and leadership development exists within the East Knoxville community. The mission of Tribe One is to re-establish East Knoxville as a place of leadership and prepare at-risk youth for productive citizenship through spiritual mentoring, entrepreneurial training and opportunities within supportive communities. Programmatically, the TRIBE ONE ministry uses a screen-printing business, weekly meetings, a recording studio and various cultural and speaking events to achieve its mission. The methodology of TRIBE ONE teaches that change flows from the inside out. The process in the discussion forums includes identifying risk factors such as guns, drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, negative words and perceptions, and misdirected values such as valuing money over people that get in the way of success and then identifying ways to eliminate them from your life. The unique style that TRIBE ONE follows allows us to reach out to young people in a way that is not threatening and allows them to feel free to share what is in their hearts and minds that they may not be able to talk about at home or with friends that are on the same path of destruction that they are on. We have learned that through intense mentoring these young people can succeed. The success of TRIBE ONE works where other programs don’t for two reasons. First, it is relational and contextual and second it builds off of the insights of the young people themselves. Just as important as the mentoring in dialogue is the mentoring through the screen printing business, and the recording studio. Young people are given hands-on experience in participating in a business and an art, which develop valuable life skills. Today kids are committing more serious crimes and at much younger ages. Moreover, the problem we now face is a growing number of young females that are on the same destructive path as young boys. Like boys, girls are also looking for a place to fit in and to fulfill this need many are turning to gang activity. As one local school principal at Vine Middle School shared, when a young female decides that gang life is the path she is going to take she has two choices to be allowed into that gang. She can either be beat in where she is beat up by a group of ladies and she can’t fight back or she is sexed in, which means she has to have sex with the male gang members in her set. This type of activity as well as statistics that suggest that 20% of young females are in juvenile detention centers and about 23% are on probation or in state custody, alerted TRIBE ONE to the desperate need to help young girls in the same way that the organization has reached out to help young boys. Consequently, TRIBE ONE has now expanded its programming to include a place for young girls. We desperately need assistance to keep programs functioning.

Wilderwood Service Dogs
Wilderwood provides service dogs for all neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and children on the Autism Spectrum. Because 1 in 150 children are being diagnosed with Autism, the demand for a service dog is becoming greater every day. We train service dogs for the individual needs of each child and it is very expensive! We are a small organization that is creating miracles for families that have lost hope. We have children that have been non-verbal that are now talking, we have children that have not slept an entire night since the day they were born are now sleeping all night. We have children that have stopped stimming behaviors such as flapping their hands or hitting their heads. Children that were having severe meltdowns are no longer melting down. We have families that have not gone out as a family to a restaurant in years, now getting to eat as a family, again. We are giving these children an opportunity to be independent and families a sense of normalcy. Wilderwood’s monetary needs are great. Every penny we receive will help us to provide more dogs for more children in need. Thanks for considering us.