ICAN Continues to Bring Hope.
Greetings!

As you may have read in our summer newsletter, ICAN continues to adapt during these unpredictable times caused by the pandemic. Rest assured we are conducting business such as training of dogs and volunteers, assessment of dogs, breeding and interaction with the inmate handlers, our clients and the public with the utmost care and caution.

I’m excited to tell you that we just wrapped up our first ABCs of Puppy Training class. Twenty five families participated in a six week, virtual training program that was facilitated by former ICAN handlers, staff and volunteers. The response was fantastic and we look forward to offering this opportunity again soon.

We are writing today to ask for your help as we continue to move forward.

I want to tell you more about the changes we have made to our program in the past six months. With careful consideration for the well-being of the inmate handlers and the dogs in training, we have temporarily suspended furloughing from the men’s facility and brought dogs out of the women’s facility and placed them with volunteers. Inmate handlers are receiving digital weekly assignments, articles to read, surveys and feedback questions, videos, virtual classes and more to keep them engaged. We believe this investment is critical in the success of the ICAN program.

The education of our volunteers continues with a virtual component. We have utilized online classrooms for training classes, monthly refresher classes and puppy classes. Recently we were able to conduct volunteering training outside in small groups with social distancing guidelines being followed. These critical changes have required the integration of new technology, extra staff hours and would not have been possible without our amazing volunteers.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we cancelled the summer graduation for 2020. That was a difficult decision but we knew it was in the best interest of everyone. As we move towards our winter graduation, we are beginning advanced training for the dogs that are potential graduates. This is now being done by ICAN staff and volunteers, which is a time consuming shift from our traditional model.

Please make a gift today to support our efforts as we continue to bring hope and meet the needs of our dogs, clients, and handlers. 

Thank you for your support and dedication to our mission of changing lives on both ends of the leash. Together, we are ICAN.

Sean Diamond, Director of Training
Sandi Clark, Director of Client Services


P.S. This week is International Assistance Dog Week! Your gift will be a part of our celebration of all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals mitigate their disability-related limitations.