ICAN|Spring Newsletter|2020
NOT CANCELLED: ICAN Still Brings Hope
A Special Message from ICAN

Dear Friends of ICAN,

It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, COVID-19 was unheard of and yet here we are. (Click here for ICAN's message on COVID-19.)

Well, we want to make the ICAN community aware of how to stay connected and how to continue to support our mission. Although so much is being cancelled and delayed, our client, inmate and canine needs continue to exist. Inmate handlers are taking on additional responsibilities in the prison during this time and using leadership skills to help train newer handlers. And we just brought five puppies into the program so be on the lookout for some fun videos of these cuties in the upcoming weeks on social media as we all know puppies make the world a better place! We invite you to engage with them as we commence their journey of becoming assistance dogs. Also, we plan to connect with volunteers on the training side with video conferencing and video education – this will be a new and fun way to engage – and we won’t even care if you are in your PJs for the interaction!

Other ways to engage? Home deliveries are at an all-time high, and you can continue to support the ICAN mission through Amazon Smile and Kroger Community Rewards program today! Designate ICAN as your charity of choice; and a percentage of your purchase will come back to ICAN. Also, many of us want to support local businesses. Consider purchasing a gift card to support them, and donate to us for a future program or auction basket.
 
Another way to support is to simply make a donation at WE CAN Still Bring Hope . Donate $25.00 now through May 15 th and we will send you a ten pack of our special ICAN greeting cards that feature our puppies in training. Use these cards to send someone you love a message to stay connected during this time of physical social distancing.

If there was ever a time we needed to see hope in action, it is right now. Your gift provides us the ability to serve those around us in meaningful ways and we thank you for staying connected.
Together, we are ICAN!

Sincerely,

Jillian Ashton, President & James Michaels, Chair
Indiana Canine Assistant Network


IN TODAY'S ISSUE: FACILITY DOGS
Welcome Spring! In this issue we are featuring ICAN's Facility Dogs! Facility dogs work with professionals who incorporate the dog into the care of their clients, patients or students. Facility dogs assist in hospitals (i.e. physical therapy departments), schools with special needs students, domestic violence shelters, special work-release programs or in courtrooms where they assist in courthouse proceedings or forensic interviews. The following stories are about three of our facility dogs; Kiley, who works with K-6 students in Bloomington; Jordy, who works as a courthouse dog for CASA; and Rainier, who works in the rehabilitation and therapy unit at Community Hospital Anderson.
K ILEY'S MAILBOX
by Bronwyn Shroyer, MSW, LCSW, LSSW
“Sometimes, a kid needs what an ICAN dog can give more than anything my clinical training and degrees can provide. There is zero chance of judgement from a dog. Kids know that. That feels safe to them. Kiley is the best choice I ever made as a social worker.”
– Bronwyn Shroyer, Handler for Facility dog, Kiley

In the two years that Kiley has been with me at our school, I've seen the incredible bonds that she can form with our students. Not only does she bring smiles to their faces or provide some much needed hugs, but she also helps them feel capable in their academic skills. 

Reading to an animal can be less intimidating than reading to a fellow human, and the same goes with writing! We installed Kiley's Mailbox at our school after seeing how much our students love to read with Kiley. Our logic was that if she brings out the love of reading, our students would love writing to her as well. And it works! Kiley averages about a thousand letters a year to her mailbox by students who ask her all sorts of questions:

"What are your favorite foods?"

"Do you have a favorite color?"

"What did you do over the weekend?"

With the questions come comments from students that prove Kiley's importance (continue reading...)
J ORDY HELPS KIDS THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
by Tia Arthur, Case Coordinator for Monroe County CASA
When Jordy joined the CASA family in December 2016, he became the first courthouse facility dog to be housed by a CASA program in Indiana. CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, is a federally mandated volunteer- driven program whose role is to advocate for children who are involved in legal proceedings through The Department of Child Services due to being victims of abuse and/or neglect.

The purpose of Jordy’s work is to provide neutral support to these children during stressful legal proceedings in Monroe County, Indiana. Not only does Jordy visit with children in the lobby outside the courtroom, he also lays at their feet during the hearing to provide comfort and help them say what they need to the Judge.

Jordy’s role is to serve an ambassador of CASA. He offers comfort and mitigates anxiety for children in the Prosecutor’s Office, where he assists children who have to participate in depositions and testify in criminal trials. Additionally, he participates in weekly programming at the local emergency youth shelter, youth delinquency hearings and day reporting programming, and the local child advocacy center where children are subject to forensic interviews (Continue reading...)
Currently, ICAN has 37 Facility dogs placed in schools, rehab hospitals, courtrooms, an alternative sentencing work-release program for women, and a domestic violence center.
RAINIER: 90 LBS OF LOVE
Cheryl Bennett is Manager of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services at Community Hospital Anderson. She and Rainier are graduates of ICAN's 2018 December graduation.

As a Facility dog, Rainier assists staff in the hospital's rehabilitation and therapy unit to help patients with chronic illnesses, those who have suffered from strokes, head injuries, speech issues, or patients recovering from surgery. A stroke patient may have difficulty using their arms so by holding a brush to comb through Rainier's coat can improve movement. A patient working through speech difficulty will practice giving Rainier one syllable cues, such as ''sit'' or ''stand" and as those verbal cues become clearer, Rainier performs the cues for the patient. This not only helps improve speech, but also provides motivation and reward for the patient.

Since arriving at the hospital, Rainier has become a very popular ''Ray'' among staff and patients. His 90 lbs of love has brought healing to so many of their patients. ICAN is very grateful to Community Hospital Anderson for their ongoing support of ICAN - sponsorships, selling ICAN calendars, hosting paw signings and Puppy Love Valentines with Rainier taking the lead on all of them!

Click Here to view the video Community Hospital Anderson featured on him. Rainier also has his own Facebook page! You can follow him at Rainier - A Dog's Life.

"I support ICAN because I have seen firsthand the benefits of the training these dogs receive. I also appreciate the way they are trained through our prison systems which truly does impact the inmate handlers in a positive way in addition to those who receive the dogs. An amazing program!" - Cheryl Bennett

(Left Lower Photo): Photo Credit John P. Cleary
Beach Bingo Postponed Until Further Notice, June Graduation Moved to December & Doggone Walk-a-thon Cancelled
It is critical that we be responsive and supportive to our ICAN family; as well as to our community leaders during this pandemic. Therefore, the April 25th Beach Bingo will be postponed to a future date and we have moved our June graduating class at the Indiana Women's Prison to the December 10th graduation. If you would like to receive a refund on Bingo, please contact Brynne Johnson. Otherwise, we will let you know when it will be taking place and can transfer your registration to the rescheduled date. For those who have registered for the Doggone Walk-a-thon on May 9th, please contact Brynne if you would like a refund.
Did you know that for every purchase you make at Kroger, ICAN can earn dollars through their Community Rewards Program? It's simple to enroll! Visit ‘’Kroger Community Rewards’’ at www.kroger.com then select Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) as your nonprofit organization. From there all you need to do is shop and swipe your Kroger Plus Card!

Your shopping can make a difference! Each time you shop on Amazon Smile, be sure to select ICAN (Indiana Canine Assistant Network) as your charitable organization and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon Smile purchases to ICAN! Amazon Smile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
Select Us on Your Next Order at smile.amazon.com
Puppy Love Valentines a Huge Success

Raising over $60,000, we are extremely grateful to everyone who purchased a gift box, to over 150 incredible volunteers for prepping and delivering, and, to the businesses who hosted a satellite location by allowing us to do sales in their lobby. One of our biggest projects was doing 1200 dog art canvases (painted by our dogs!) for the gift boxes! More than 100 volunteers participated in this three day project!

A huge thank you goes to our presenting sponsor, Curran Architecture , and the many sponsors who contributed to this very special project!

In 2019, 619 Puppy Love Deliveries were made by our dogs-in-training delivering gifts year round for many occasions.
ICAN Welcomes Moe Kiley

Moe has been involved with ICAN in many areas - furloughing, puppy raising, serving on the Fetch Committee, training, litter hosting, and ICAN's Breeding Program, in which ICAN is a member of the ABC Breeding Cooperative. For a year, she served as a contractor assisting us with the breeding program, handling all of those adorable puppies! We are thrilled to now have her as a part time staff member. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Moe as ICAN's Breeding & Puppy Development Coordinator!
ICAN Volunteers spend 4,763 days with a dog in training on furlough.


ICAN hosted the Assistance Dog International (ADI) conference welcoming 13 countries and 300 international professionals working in the Service Dog industry.
ICAN at IU Presents Service Dog Panel Discussion

In February, ICAN at IU hosted a Service Dog Panel Discussion in which our Director of Training, Sean Diamond, and one of our ICAN clients, Zoe Waters, who received Allan as her service dog last December, participated. More than 150 students are members of ICAN at IU. Their involvement includes furloughing ICAN dogs in training, doing outreach in the community and on campus, and raising money. Since 2017, when the student organization began, these amazing students have furloughed nearly 80 dogs! We extend a very special thanks to these members and to, Mallory Melchi, for her leadership as President in 2019-2020.
Since 2010, 132 ICAN handlers have been released from prison and 86% of those inmates have not re-entered the judicial system.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

ICAN'S ANNUAL WINE & WAGS Thursday, October 8th
The Biltwell Event Center

It's our largest fundraising event of the year! The evening is inspirational with stories about ICAN dogs changing lives on both ends of the leash. Testimonials and videos are presented by ICAN clients, former inmate handlers and community members.

The after-work program includes complimentary light appetizers, wine, beer & non-alcoholic beverages. You will have the opportunity to mingle with our dogs, puppies, volunteers, clients and former handlers. To learn more, visit 2020 Wine & Wags.

ICAN GRADUATION
Thursday, December 10th
Indiana Women's Prison.
Registration opens on July 1st at ICAN Graduation.