LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER, SUZANNE
OUR FIRST-EVER IMPACT REPORT COVERS A BIT OF GROUND — 4 YEARS TO BE EXACT.
it takes you from September 2020, when we officially launched, through December 2024. it may not be as polished as seasoned nonprofits (we’re complete newbies at this), but we’re giving it our best shot and I think you’ll enjoy it.
providing a trained Psychiatric Service Dog to someone who is suffering from a mental health illness is to join them on their mental health journey. it means showing up for them on their good days and being supportive on their not-so-good days.
it’s a humbling and deeply rewarding experience.
now, into our fifth year and with two Psychiatric Service Dogs placed, the feedback from our community not only energizes us, but demonstrates that the “ripple effect” is much more than a catch phrase — that by helping one person, we really do help their entire orbit of people and thereby our Napa Valley community as a whole.
healthy individuals are better able to take care of themselves, their children, and their families. they have more meaningful relationships with those around them which translates into better neighborhoods, schools, work places, and communities.
although it may seem like a small difference, it is still a difference we believe matters.
this has been made possible thanks to the help of ordinary, yet remarkable people, like you, deciding to help make a difference in someone's life. someone who is, more often than not, a complete stranger.
from donating to 'spreading the word' about the value of Psychiatric Service Dogs, our supporters are helping to put these remarkable and highly trained service dogs into the homes of those who need one to help mitigate the symptoms of their mental health illness.
these ordinary, yet remarkable people are making a positive and lasting impact in our Napa Valley community and beyond. and that is huge.
i hope you’ll join us on our journey of putting more trained Psychiatric Service Dogs into the lives of people who are suffering from anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
with heartfelt gratitude ~
suzanne lavallee
BY THE NUMBERS
PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOGS PLACED INTO SERVICE WITH INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS: 1 NAPA VALLEY RESIDENT, 1 MILITARY VETERAN.
APPROVED APPLICANTS WAITING FOR A TRAINED PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOG.
PEOPLE ON OUR WAITLIST
AVERAGE COST PER SERVICE DOG — represents a 50% reduction in projected cost per Psychiatric Service Dog thanks to the deep discount on training fees by our professional training partners.
Donations Received Since 2020
Percentage of Donations Going Directly towards our Psychiatric Service Dogs: 93%.
OUR PROGRAM AT WORK
Tilly’s presence has helped me to stay grounded and present, even in the face of challenging emotional moments.
I have experienced long periods of time filled with symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety and PTSD as well as shorter periods of hypomania.
Since receiving Tilly from STELLINA, I have been able to dramatically reduce the amount of both mood stabilizers and antidepressant medications that I use to help manage more severe symptoms. My goal is to be med-free someday… and Tilly is helping me work toward this!
— Dave P.
THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED APPLICATION
we worked closely with Napa-based psychologist Dr. Sabine Correa to help edit and format our application in such a way that the experience is not overwhelming to someone suffering from a mental health illness.
ONLINE RESOURCES
dedicating a page on our website to online resources puts valuable learning materials in an easy-to-access place, empowers future service dog handlers with crucial information, and gives hope to those on our waitlist.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & EDUCATION
mental health illnesses are often coined as “invisible wounds” because they don't often display the more obvious, visual effects to the observer like physical disabilities such as wheelchairs or blindness.
for this reason, we use every opportunity we get to teach people that Psychiatric Service Dogs are fundamental for the day-to-day functioning of someone suffering from a mental health illness.
in a recent newsletter, we shared our interview with Dave P., one of our Service Dog Teams and the response from readers was overwhelmingly positive and supportive (see below).
“Huge kudos and gratitude to you, David - for sharing so openly and honestly. You are not alone. So many have similar symptoms for a wide variety of reasons. But few have the humility and awareness to reach for such a meaningful solution. And huge kudos and gratitude to Suzanne for creating Stellina — to provide hope and healing for those whose injuries are often invisible but every bit as deep. Special blessings to all who support this wonderful organization.”
“Love the interview and more so, the positive impact Tilly has had on Dave’s life. While I appreciate service dogs and know the role that they can play – especially with the blind - I am unfortunately in that camp of thinking that many of the service animals that I see in the airports, etc. are pets that the owners want to travel with them. Probably wrong first impression and this will help me think twice about that prejudice. Great work! ”
NOTEWORTHY
GOLD SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY
we earned our Gold Seal of Transparency via CandidDotOrg — demonstrating accountability and building donor trust by publicly sharing financial, leadership and program information.
VISION FOR 2026
at STELLINA Psychiatric Service Dogs, we know we’re not just providing life-changing Psychiatric Service Dogs to individuals suffering from a mental health illness. we’re also impacting their entire orbit of people and ultimately our Napa Valley and Bay Area communities.
training and preparing a puppy from 8 weeks of age to 12 months old for a life of work and service is no small feat. it takes patience, skill, and money to cover the costs of our training partners — whose commitment to our mission is unwavering.
LOOKING FOWARD TO 2026, STELLINA WILL LEVERAGE ITS ‘GOLD SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY’ FROM CANDID.ORG TO PURSUE A NEW-TO-US AVENUE OF FUNDRAISING: GRANT WRITING.
we’re making it a priority to discover what is available on our Napa Valley doorstep in hopes of further tying together our shared commitment to our local communities.
we are acutely aware of the economic downturn of the wine industry — which is the largest single driver of Napa Valley’s economy, but believe that despite this there are philanthropic opportunities.
by empowering our clients with the lifeline of a Psychiatric Service Dog, we are shaping a brighter future for those people suffering from a mental health illness, as well as a better world for us all.
2024 FINANCIAL
MAYBE DO THIS…OR SAVE FOR NEXT YEAR—2026??
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