Guide Dogs For The Blind Inc

GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND EMPOWERS LIVES BY CREATING EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE, DOGS, AND COMMUNITIES.

THE IMPACT OF THE NOVEL STRAIN OF CORONAVIRUS ("COVID-19") PROVIDED A BROAD ARRAY OF CHALLENGES TO OPERATIONS; HOWEVER, IT ALSO FUELED SEVERAL INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT HAVE ALLOWED GDB TO CONTINUE DELIVERING ITS LIFE-CHANGING MISSION. AS GDB OPERATIONS MOVE TOWARD MORE NORMALCY, THESE INNOVATIONS HAVE ENABLED GDB TO SAFELY SERVE CLIENTS REMOTELY AS WELL AS IN PERSON, AND VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS HAVE EXPANDED GDB'S REACH TO ITS ENTIRE COMMUNITY INCLUDING CLIENTS, VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, AND STAFF. WHILE VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS CONTINUE TO BE AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE, GDB HAS ALSO BEEN ABLE TO HOLD BENEFICIAL IN-PERSON EVENTS SUCH AS SMALL GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS AND GUIDE DOG WORKSHOPS.GUIDE DOG PROGRAMS:GDB IS RECOGNIZED AS A WORLD LEADER IN THE BREEDING, SOCIALIZATION, AND TRAINING OF GUIDE DOGS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, GDB SERVED UP TO 2,000 GUIDE DOG TEAMS ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA. GUIDE DOG TEAMS TRAIN AND GRADUATE FROM GDB'S CAMPUSES IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON, AND THIS YEAR, GDB EXPANDED ITS IN-HOME CLIENT TRAINING SERVICES. TECHNOLOGY WAS WIDELY UTILIZED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF CLIENTS AND INSTRUCTORS. AS PART OF GDB'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO CLIENT SERVICE AND SUPPORT, CLIENTS CONTINUED TO HAVE ACCESS TO ON-CAMPUS VETERINARY SERVICES, VETERINARY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, DEDICATED FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, 24/7 CALL-IN SUPPORT, AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND MUCH MORE.ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION PROGRAMFIVE YEARS AGO, GDB EXPANDED ITS SERVICE OFFERING TO INCLUDE A FREE ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION ("OMI") PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE NEEDING TO IMPROVE THE TRAVEL SKILLS THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL GUIDE DOG HANDLER. THIS EXPANDED SERVICE HAS TRAINED 204 CLIENTS TO DATE, AND THIS YEAR 50 CLIENTS WERE HELPED ON THEIR JOURNEY TO GREATER SAFETY, INDEPENDENCE, AND INCLUSION. GDB TRAINED CLIENTS ON BOTH CAMPUSES AS WELL AS CONDUCTED INHOMETRAININGS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD MOMENTUM FOR THIS CRITICAL PROGRAM. INSTRUCTORS ALSO EMPLOYED SPECIAL PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL INVOLVED.YOUTH PROGRAMSWHILE GDB'S GUIDE DOG AND OMI PROGRAMS PRIMARILY SERVE ADULTS, GDB ALSO SEEKS OUT WAYS TO ENGAGE YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. GDB HAS SEVERAL FREE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE GUIDE DOG LIFESTYLE STARTING AT A YOUNG AGE.AT CAMP GDB, PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE THE COMPANIONSHIP, INDEPENDENCE, AND RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING A GUIDE DOG. CAMPERS LEARN ABOUT SPECIFIC ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SKILLS REQUIRED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL GUIDE DOG HANDLER, AS WELL AS THE FITNESS AND ENDURANCE NECESSARY FOR GUIDE DOG TRAVEL. GDB HOSTED TWO IN-PERSON CAMPS THIS YEAR. THE GDB SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM INCLUDED PARTICIPANTS RANGING IN AGES FROM 14 TO 24. BOTH CAMPS TOOK PLACE AT THE HULL PARK FOUNDATION & LEARNING CENTER FOR THE BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN SANDY, OREGON, WITH OUTINGS TO GDB'S OREGON CAMPUS AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING HIKING, RIVER RAFTING, AND ARCHERY.GDB ALSO ONCE AGAIN UNLEASHED ITS EXCITING WORKSHOP SERIES CALLED READY, SET, FORWARD! TO INTRODUCE BLIND YOUTH, THEIR PARENTS, AND BLINDNESS PROFESSIONALS TO THE GUIDE DOG LIFESTYLE. THIS INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WAS HELD IN MARCH AND ATTENDED BY OVER 50 PARENTS, YOUTH, AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF LOW VISION.K9 BUDDY PROGRAMGDB'S K9 BUDDY PROGRAM MATCHES SPECIALLY SELECTED DOGS TO BECOME WONDERFUL COMPANIONS TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. A DOG CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEIGHTENING OF SENSORY DEVELOPMENT, MOTIVATING A CLIENT AND ENHANCING SELF-ESTEEM. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, 22 K9 BUDDY TEAMS WERE CREATED AT NO COST TO THE CLIENT OR THEIR FAMILY.ADVOCACY EFFORTSGDB'S ADVOCACY TEAM IS LEADING THE INDUSTRY WITH INNOVATIVE ADVOCACY INITIATIVES. GDB, PARTNERING WITH THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND, HAS COMPLETED A FIRST OF ITS KIND BLINDNESS RESEARCH PROJECT, AND WILL BE SHARING RESULTS IN FY2023. GDB CREATED AN ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEO THAT EQUIPS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL WITH TIPS ON HOW TO PROVIDE SAFE AND EQUITABLE SERVICE TO TRAVELERS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND HELPS TRAVELERS WHO ARE BLIND TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.GDB WAS ALSO PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF FRAUDULENT SERVICE ANIMALS WHILE PROTECTING PUBLIC ACCESS RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH LEGITIMATE SERVICE ANIMALS LIKE GUIDE DOGS. THE BILL BECAME LAW IN SEPTEMBER 2021. GDB ALSO CONTINUES TO WORK WITH SERVICE ANIMAL ADVOCATES IN OTHER STATES TO DESIGN LEGISLATION AKIN TO CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION.SUPPORT NETWORKGDB'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH THOUSANDS OF PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME, TALENTS, AND HEARTS ARE WHAT MAKE GDB'S MISSION A REALITY. GDB HAS UP TO 2,000 VOLUNTEER PUPPY RAISERS IN THE 10 WESTERN STATES, SEVERAL HUNDRED BREEDER CUSTODIANS AND FOSTER CARE VOLUNTEERS, AND AVERAGES NEARLY 800 CAMPUS VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR. VOLUNTEERS WELCOME DOGS INTO THEIR HOMES; THEY ACT AS PROGRAM AMBASSADORS; THEY PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO MANY DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY SUPPORT THE MISSION IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS.GDB'S GENEROUS PRIVATE DONORS HELP GDB FULFILL ITS LIFE-CHANGING MISSION THROUGH GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS, GRANTS, HONOR AND MEMORIAL GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND NUMEROUS ESTATE PLANNING VEHICLES. DONORS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO GDB THROUGH GIVING SOCIETIES, DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAVE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION. GDB'S LEGACY SOCIETY HONORS THE VISION OF THOSE WHO HAVE INCLUDED GDB IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS.