Kids and Canines, a community non-profit, has been awarded a $5000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support Our ADAPT Program (A Dog Assisted Program for Therapy) Program. The ADAPT Program helps the Tampa Bay community’s most disadvantaged, underserved children by building needed social, life and job skills that empower youth for a brighter future.
The Kids and Canines’ mission is to change the life of at-risk youth through the use of a therapy dog. Kids and Canines ADAPT Program serves teens throughout the Hillsborough County School District with priority given to Title I schools and students identified as having a special need. With the support of organizations like Petco and our community these services are provided at no charge to the students or schools. “We are so grateful for Petco’s continued support. Together we are changing lives all through the use of a dog.” said Kelly Hodges, Executive Director at Kids and Canines.
Investments are made possible through the Petco Foundation’s annual Helping Heroes campaign. Since 2012, the Petco Foundation has invested more than $15 million to support the life-changing work of helping heroes. The Petco Foundation investment showcases how dogs can enrich our lives and provide services that make them heroes to the thousands of children who benefit from the interaction of dogs in the Kids and Canines programs.
About Kids and Canines
Kids and Canines’ mission is to serve disadvantaged youth by giving them the support, tools, and opportunities to empower themselves and improve their lives. We use trained dogs to help children achieve academically, socially, and in their pursuit of employment.
About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $290 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. We also partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 6.5 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
For more information about Kids and Canines or the Petco Foundation, visit http://kidsandcanines.org/ or www.petcofoundation.org. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #HelpingHeroes.