PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS
Warriors Helping Warriors®
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Many Warriors (Military Veterans and Active Duty Service Members) are wounded in the course of their selfless service to our country. These wounds can manifest themselves in "visible" or "invisible" ways, affecting mobility as well as impacting social relationships. Many Warriors who have been subjected to trauma experience symptoms that can lead to detrimental behavior, including suicidal thoughts and actions. We are working day and night to address these issues by providing top-notch assistance dogs and life-changing canine-assisted therapeutic services for the benefit of America's Warriors.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®
Our signature program is Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®. This innovative therapeutic Service Dog training program teaches Veterans and Active-Duty Military Personnel with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury the skill of training Service Dogs for Veterans with combat-related injuries. Guided by our brilliant staff of highly experienced Program Instructors, in partnership with professional therapists, Warriors learn to reinforce commands and behaviors that are vital for a Service Dog-In-Training.
Service Dogs
We pair meticulously bred, lovingly raised, and thoroughly trained service dogs with their ideal Warrior recipients using Bergin’s scientifically rigorous matching methodology. Warrior and service dog meet during Training Camp where they learn to live and work together to form a lifelong partnership. Please email [email protected] to apply.
Facility Dogs
We provide dogs to roam VA, DoD or similar facilities providing a friendly face to engage patients, their families and facility staff to help support a positive and welcoming atmosphere. Each dog is assigned to a host organization contact person we train to carry out routine dog handling and care. We provide further support when needed.
Social Therapy
Social Therapy uses the unique skills of our canine friends to bring comfort and joy to Warriors in a hospital or group setting. Social Therapy uses our dogs' innate empathy, calm demeanor, and approachability to assist in the recovery process of injured Warriors. Social Therapy visits can be requested by contacting your local Paws for Purple Hearts facility.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Dogs We've Deployed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes Service Dogs placed, Facility Dogs placed, and Specialist Therapy Dogs placed, plus dogs that are providing or have provided Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy. Total thru 12/23: 159.
Therapy Session Attendance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes attendance by Warriors in Warrior Canine & Social Therapy sessions. Note: Many Warriors attend multiple sessions to maximize effectiveness.
Lives Directly Improved
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Warrior Canine & Social Therapy participants, Service/Facility/Spec. Dogs placed + 1 Family Member per placement + Volunteers in fun work (e.g., puppy petters).
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Paws for Purple Hearts aims to help as many of our nation's military active duty Service Members and Veterans facing mobility challenges, post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injuries (TBI) as possible by:
• Providing our innovative Warrior Canine TherapyTM to those with PTSD and/or TBI. In this therapy, we teach Warriors how to help train the service dogs we will provide to other Warriors in need – Warriors Helping Warriors®. Participating in our therapy sessions with our dogs and our instructors has been found to reduce the severity of the symptoms of PTSD and/or TBI.
• Providing top-level service dogs (capable of helping quadriplegic-level patients) to those with mobility impairments and/or PTSD.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Paws for Purple Hearts strategy involves deploying our highly qualified and experienced staff and our meticulously bred and trained puppies and dogs to as many locations around the USA as possible, with special emphasis on those geographic areas with the highest per capita Veteran and active duty military Service Member populations, all while working tirelessly with our extensive network of volunteers to bring our ground-breaking Warrior Canine TherapyTM and top-tier service dogs to as many of America's Warriors as possible.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Paws for Purple Hearts is uniquely positioned to make a real difference in the lives of America's Warriors who face challenges such as physical mobility impairments, post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injuries (TBI) incurred while protecting the freedoms we cherish. We are the world's only service dog organization for wounded Service Members and Veterans that is partnered with the prestigious Bergin University of Canine Studies, which is led by the inventor of the service dog concept, Dr. Bonnie Bergin. Our unique relationship with Bergin University gives us unmatched, unique access to the best dog instructors, the highest quality dogs, and the latest cutting edge dog training and handling research. Thanks to the great generosity of our donors and the enthusiasm and energy of our network of volunteers, we are growing steadily and are establishing locations all over the USA. We continuously improve the quality of our Warrior Canine TherapyTM and top-tier service dogs by rigorously and objectively evaluating our performance and effectiveness, and by seeking feedback from the Warriors we serve and their care providers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Accomplishments so far...
We are the canine assisted therapy and service dog industry leader, setting the standard for quality and innovation. Accomplishments so far include:
• As canine therapy pioneers, Paws for Purple Hearts developed our game-changing Warrior Canine TherapyTM for those with PTSD and/or TBI. In this therapy, Paws for Purple Hearts instructirs teach Warriors how to help train the service dogs we will provide to other Warriors in need – Warriors Helping Warriors®. Participating in our therapy sessions with our dogs and our instructors has been found to reduce the severity of the symptoms of PTSD and/or TBI.
• We have deployed dozens of meticulously bred, raised and trained dogs as service dogs or as dogs providing Warrior Canine TherapyTM.
• Attendance in our Warrior Canine TherapyTM sessions is very high (see "Results" section for latest numbers).
• We have now established operations that serve the following areas:
o San Francisco Bay Area (North and South)
o Southern California (San Diego & Los Angeles)
o South Texas (San Antonio, Kerrville and Austin)
o Washington, DC metropolitan area
o Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area
o Alaska (Fairbanks & Anchorage)
o Southern California (San Diego and Los Angeles)
What's next...
Paws for Purple Hearts is poised for further growth while maintaining the highest standards of quality. We are planning to establish more facilities in new communities around the USA, focusing on those geographic areas with the highest per capita Veteran and active duty military Service Member populations. Our close relationship and long history of collaboration with Bergin University ensure we have continued access to the highest quality dog trainers in the world. In addition, our in-house breeding and breeder partner networks are growing and are ready to support us as we bring the world's best canine assisted therapy and service dogs to America's Warriors.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS
Board of directorsas of 01/18/2024
Mark Quattrocchi
Quattrocchi & Kwok
Term: 2015 - 2023
Dave Phillips
Independent CPA
Dr. Bonita Bergin
CEO
Col. David Rabb
Veterans Health Administration
Mark Quattrocchi
Quattrocchi & Kwok Architects
Roy Hurd
Empire College
Rob Rutherford
Anderson Zeigler Law Firm
John Lemondes
Independent Consultant
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 09/25/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.