“the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.
these persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. beautiful people do not just happen.”
— Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
WHO WE HELP
we help individuals who understand the vital role a psychiatric service dog will play in their lives, yet know it is one piece of a multifaceted healing process and recognize the responsibilities that come with it.
and we are here to help every step of the way.
Eligibility Requirements
as a small, local-serving nonprofit, we focus on helping those within our Napa Valley community with one notable exception: military veterans. to be eligible for a Psychiatric Service Dog from our program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
be 21 years of age or older
reside within Napa County, California; or
be a military veteran residing within the greater San Francisco Bay Area
have a valid, written diagnosis from your mental healthcare provider for anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
mental illness is far more common than many realize. primarily because people either don’t like to, or are scared to, talk about it.
no town or community is unaffected — including Napa County.
so, what is a mental illness?
a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, behavior or mood. these conditions deeply impact day-to-day living and may also affect the ability to relate to others.
that’s why we feel strongly about making a positive impact on Napa County residents who have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
by helping one person, we help their entire circle: family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the people that make-up their day-to-day life.
healthy individuals are better able to take care of themselves, their children, and their families. healthy individuals have more meaningful relationships with those around them which translates into better neighborhoods, schools, work places, communities.
why focus on Napa County, California ?
because it’s our home turf.
it’s where we’ve built families, carved a niche in the world, and made dreams come true.
it’s the place that’s fed us, loved us, and kept our spirits up through tough times.
our community is made up of some of the most amazing people on Earth —
people who are kind, generous, sassy, driven, resilient, inspirational,
hard-working, witty, and everything in between.
these are the folks who make up our collective family.
the people we wish to give back to.
the people we are dedicated to helping when mental health issues arise.
focusing on our community allows us to help in a very personalized and meaningful way.
by staying local, we can be the boots on the ground…literally.
for our clients, we’re able to liaise with the people and places that directly impact their daily lives in order to explain what psychiatric service dogs are, how they help, and what to expect when they encounter a person with their psychiatric service dog.
for instance, we can connect directly with our clients’ employers, schools, and frequently used businesses and shops by visiting the locations and people directly, virtual meetings, and phone calls.
for our community members, we can teach what to do and what not to do; what they can ask and what they cannot ask when encountering a psychiatric service dog team.
staying focused on our home turf helps our clients and helps our community.
what we do in Napa County we hope inspires other communities.
with all of this said about our Napa Valley communities, why have we chosen to help military veterans who live outside of our area, but within the greater SF Bay Area?
because we are thankful for their service and sacrifices to our country. these brave women and men have put their lives, their careers, and their stability on the line so that we can stay safe on the homefront. we believe that they deserve phenomenal support for performing this brave duty.
