GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC

GUIDE DOG PROGRAMSGDB IS RECOGNIZED AS A WORLD LEADER IN THE BREEDING, SOCIALIZATION, AND TRAINING OF GUIDE DOGS ALONG WITH UNPARALLELED SUPPORT OF ITS GUIDE DOG TEAMS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024, GDB SERVED ALMOST 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 IN-HOME CLIENT TRAINING SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. AS PART OF GDB'S COMMITMENT TO CLIENT SERVICE AND SUPPORT, CLIENTS HAVE ONGOING ACCESS TO ON-CAMPUS VETERINARY SERVICES, VETERINARY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, DEDICATED FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, 24/7 CALL-IN SUPPORT, AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND MUCH MORE. (CONTINUED ON SCH O)ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION PROGRAMAPPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO, GDB EXPANDED ITS SERVICE OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE A FREE ORIENTATION & MOBILITY IMMERSION ("OMI") PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SKILLS FOR SAFE, INDEPENDENT TRAVEL, INCLUDING THOSE SKILLS THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO GUIDE DOG HANDLING. GDB PROVIDES SERVICES TO NEW CLIENTS AS WELL AS TO CURRENT GUIDE DOGS HANDLERS WHO MAY NEED TO ENHANCE THEIR MOBILITY SKILLS. OMI TRAINING IS CONDUCTED AT BOTH CAMPUS LOCATIONS AND IN-HOME, WITH 304 CLIENTS SERVED TO DATE AND 62 CLIENTSSERVED DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024.K9 BUDDY PROGRAMGDB'S K9 BUDDY PROGRAM MATCHES SPECIALLY SELECTED DOGS, WHO WERE NOT SUITED TO BECOME GUIDE DOGS, AS WONDERFUL PETS AND BUDDIES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND ADULTS OF ALL AGES. A DOG CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEIGHTENING OF SENSORY DEVELOPMENT, MOTIVATING AND ENHANCING SELF-ESTEEM. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024, 28 K9 BUDDY TEAMS WERE CREATED AT NO COST TO THE CLIENT OR THEIR FAMILIES.YOUTH PROGRAMSWHILE GDB'S GUIDE DOG AND OMI PROGRAMS PRIMARILY SERVE ADULTS, GDB ALSO SEEKS OUT WAYS BEYOND ITS K9 BUDDY PROGRAM 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.CAMP GDBAT CAMP GDB, PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE THE COMPANIONSHIP, INDEPENDENCE, AND RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING A GUIDE DOG. CAMPERS EXPERIENCE HANDS-ON FUN AND UNIQUE ACTIVITIES WITH DOGS AND LEARN WHY ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY ("O&M") SKILLS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH A GUIDE DOG. THERE WERE TWO CAMP SESSIONS THIS YEAR FOR YOUTH AGES 14-17 DURING WHICH CAMPERS VISITED GDB'S OREGON CAMPUS AND EXPERIENCED WALKING WITH A GUIDE DOG IN HARNESS, HAD EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS WITH VETERINARIANS AND KENNEL STAFF, AND SNUGGLED WITH DOGS. CAMPERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ARCHERY, TANDEM BIKE RIDING, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES, AND CARED FOR A DOG OVERNIGHT.CAREERS & CANINE CONNECTIONSGDB AND AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE ("APH") CAREER CONNECT COLLABORATED TO PROVIDE A WEEKLONG PROGRAM CALLED CAREERS & CANINE CONNECTIONS AT THE APH CONNECT CENTER. PARTICIPANTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 18-24 AND EXPERIENCED A DEEP DIVE INTO CAREER EXPLORATION AND HOW A GUIDE DOG MIGHT FIT INTO THEIR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. THEY DISCOVERED A VARIETY OF CAREER OPTIONS, THE VALUE OF NETWORKING FOR BOTH WORK AND GREATER INDEPENDENCE, COMPARED MOBILITY POSSIBILITIES FOR WORK RELATED TRAVEL, RECEIVED VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT MENTORSHIP, AND PARTICIPATED IN UNIQUE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES WITH DOGS.READY, SET, FORWARDGDB ALSO WRAPPED UP ITS SERIES CALLED "READY, SET, FORWARD!". THIS SERIES OF WEBINARS WAS DESIGNED TO ASSIST YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS BY PROVIDING INFORMATION FROM A PANEL CONSISTING OF GUIDE DOG USERS, GDB STAFF MEMBERS, PARENTS, AND BLINDNESS PROFESSIONALS. TOPICS INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT CANE USAGE, THE GUIDE DOG LIFESTYLE, AND K9 BUDDY PARTNERSHIPS. UP TO 20 PARTICIPANTS RANGING FROM AGES 14-24 REGISTERED EACH MONTH.ADVOCACY EFFORTSIN ADDITION TO ITS FULL COMPLEMENT OF FREE CLIENT PROGRAMS, GDB WORKS TO EDUCATE ITS COMMUNITY ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTS ACCESSIBILITY AND FURTHERS INCLUSION. THIS YEAR, ADVOCACY EFFORTS ADDRESSED THE PERVASIVE ISSUE OF RIDESHARE DENIALS TO GUIDE DOG HANDLERS IN NORTH AMERICA. GDB'S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF 185 GUIDE DOG HANDLERS AND FOUND THAT 83% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED RIDESHARE DENIALS. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO PARTIES ADDRESSING THIS UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION. GDB ALSO ORGANIZED A MEETING OF ALL ACCREDITED GUIDE DOG SCHOOLS IN NORTH AMERICA TO INITIATE COLLABORATIVE WORK ON THIS ISSUE. IN THE SPRING GDB MET WITH INVESTIGATORS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO DISCUSS WAYS TO COLLECT AND SHARE DATA BY ENCOURAGING CLIENTS TO REPORT RIDE SHARE DISCRIMINATION THROUGH THEIR PORTAL. 2024 ALSO SAW THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL ENACT DISCRIMINATORY NEW REGULATIONS THAT WOULD IMPEDE THE ABILITY OF GUIDE DOG USERS TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S. DIRECT ADVOCACY ACTION WAS TAKEN TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND SEND OVER 900 POSTCARDS TO LEGISLATORS URGING THEM TO TAKE ACTION TO AMEND THESE NEW REGULATIONS.SUPPORT NETWORKGDB HAS THOUSANDS OF PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME, TALENTS, AND HEARTS TO GDB; THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING GDB'S MISSION A REALITY. GDB HAS ALMOST 3,000 VOLUNTEER PUPPY RAISERS IN 9 WESTERN STATES, SEVERAL HUNDRED BREEDER CUSTODIANS AND FOSTER CARE VOLUNTEERS, AND NEARLY 800 CAMPUS VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR. VOLUNTEERS WELCOME DOGS INTO THEIR HOMES, ACT AS PROGRAM AMBASSADORS, PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE HELP, AND SUPPORT THE MISSION IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS.GDB'S GENEROUS PRIVATE DONORS HELP GDB FULFILL ITS LIFE-CHANGING MISSION THROUGH GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS, PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING, 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.