Foster Coordination Liaison Volunteer Recruiting Need

We are looking for individuals who wish to become part of the Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet mission as a Foster Coordination Liaison (FCL) involved with working with our service members, wounded warriors, veterans, and families of our fallen warriors who need assistance via our MVP Foster Home program, which also includes vetting and interacting with those individuals and families who have registered as potential foster homes through our organization.

Primarily at this time we are looking for FCLs to cover the states of AR/OK, AZ, CO, LA, MN, MO, NV, AL/GA, NC/SC, TN, VA/WV, MD/DC, and TX.

This is a virtual volunteer role where your efforts can be accomplished via the phone and Internet (emails) and includes the following criteria:

• A passion to help our military service members, wounded warriors, veterans, and families of our fallen warriors.
• Interact and maintain communication with our registered potential foster homes, plus work with others (inside and outside the organization) as required
• Be a self-starter, has excellent organizational, interpersonal, and management skills, plus able to work independently and as a “team” player.
• Understand and agree to follow and adhere to the Organization’s mission, purpose, operating procedures, and organizational policies/guidelines.
• Comfortable using and access to MS office (such as Word, Excel), communicate via the internet, phone calls, and email.
• Previous customer service, volunteer nonprofit managerial and animal related coordination/placement experience helpful
• Help promote the organization, it’s mission, and programs with others via sharing our flyers, brochures, and other items as requested by the organization’s National office.
• Able to commit at least 1 year in this position
• Provide the required monthly reports (coordination activity and volunteer service hours) by the date as determined by the organization’s National office.
• Estimated Volunteer Time per Month: averaging 25-30 hours – Please be advised actual hours per month is variable on a state by state basis.

Those interested in learning more about the volunteer positions or to apply, visit HERE.

URGENT HELP Needed to Replenish Military Pet Assistance (MPA) Fund

Ginger, veteran’s pet that has been helped through the MPA fund this month

WE NEED YOUR HELP! So far this month we have spent  over $1,200 dollars via our Military Pet Assistance (MPA) fund helping homeless veterans and their companion animals (for necessary veterinarian care and temporary pet boarding). As of this morning we have below $800 in the fund with four open cases (AR, MA, and IN) with two possibly forthcoming from CO and MN.  Therefore we need to raise a minimum of $3,000 between now and 6/30/15  to handle these cases and additional cases expected over the next couple of weeks.  We have applications in for grants and a couple more being worked on, but those take time and no guarantee funding will be available although we have confirmed our program is eligible and were advised to submit the applications.

We hope those who can help will do so and help us spread the word about this need to continue helping our homeless veterans so they can get the “hand up” via the VA or VA approved Homeless Veteran Transition programs across the country.  Please consider doing a third party fundraiser benefiting the MPA fund program as an individual via your employer.  It’s also a good time of year to give your children something to do (dog wash, coin walk, car wash, etc.).

Though deployments are down to a certain degree, helping our veterans, especially the Homeless Veterans, the work is just beginning as the various agencies across the country helping these veterans are learning about our programs and services.

For those who can contribute may do so in any of the following ways:

• PayPal using email: mpa@guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org
• Click on the first “Donate Button” on our website (all contributions coming in between now and 6/30/15 will be allocated to the MPA fund program).
• Check/money order payable to: Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet (Memo Line: MPA) and mail to Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet, 9725 FM 1783, Gatesville, TX 76528-4739.

Thank you all for helping in any way you can. Our veterans (pre- and post- 9/11) need our help and we need your help (donating or spreading the word to others who may be interested in donating) to continue this program.

 

Our homeless veterans need your help!

Helping Veterans With Pets – Need Your Help – Between 1/1/15 and 4/1/15 via our Military Pet Assistance (MPA) fund we have disbursed $4,136 involving pet boarding and required veterinarian care for 16 beloved furbabies of our homeless veterans receiving a hands up via a VA approved “Homeless Veteran Transition” program in the states of AR, CO, TX, and VA .  As of today we have a balance of $871 in our MPA fund.

We are in dire needs of monetary contributions for the MPA fund and hope you and others can help us so to continue supporting our homeless veterans and their pets via the MPA fund.  Contributions can be made on line via our official website (guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org) “Donate Now” button (please show MPA fund in Memo/Message line or via check/money order payable to Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet (Memo Line MPA Fund) and mailed to Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet, 9725 FM 1783, Gatesville, TX 76528-4739.

“100% of these contributions go to the MPA fund.”

Please share this with others who may also wish to support our MPA Fund. 

Thank you!

Petco Foundation Invests in Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet’s PTSD Service Canine Program

Grant of $5,000 will extend efforts to help pets and people in our Military live their best lives

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet© announced that it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support its Warriors’ Angels (WA) Program. WA was developed to support service members and veterans who have been medically diagnosed with “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD) and official recommendation from their Primary Care Manager (PCM) to us has been received that an “Assistance Service Canine” (ACS) will help improve the service member/veteran’s quality of life.

The grant was made possible through the Petco Foundation’s annual Helping Heroes fundraising campaign, in partnership with Natural Balance Pet Foods. During the campaign each October, customers are invited to donate in Petco stores across the country to support service and therapy animals and organizations.

“We are thrilled that the Petco Foundation has invested in our Warriors Angels’ Program,” said Board President, Jessica Semon.  “Through their support, we are able to assist soldier’s medically diagnosed with PTSD and help make their lives a little easier with a Assistance Service Canine.”

The Petco Foundation investment will help to grow the Warriors Angels’ Program by supporting the  first Warriors Angel team and training facility in Central Texas. For more information on the Warrior Angels’ Program, please click here .

The Petco Foundation has served as a voice for companion animals across the country since 1999. Today, with more than 8,000 local animal welfare partners across the country, the Petco Foundation donates approximately $15 million a year to make a difference in the lives of millions of animals. The organization is funded through donations raised during fundraisers conducted in Petco’s more than 1,300 stores across the country, as well as from Petco associates, vendors and corporate contributions. Money raised helps fund animal welfare organizations, spay and neuter efforts, animal-assisted therapy programs and humane education. The majority of the funds raised remain in the communities where they were raised, as well as animal welfare efforts nationwide.

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet© is a national all-volunteer 501(c)3 Military and Veteran Support Organization assisting active duty service members, wounded warriors, veterans, and their beloved companion animals or assistance service canines through various assistance programs.

For more information about Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet visit their website or follow them on LinkedIN, Facebook or Twitter.

For more information about the Petco Foundation, visit their website. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #PetcoFoundation.

#GivingTuesday is here!

You’ve heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Well, get ready for #GivingTuesday! The third annual GivingTuesday is on TODAY! In the same way that retail stores take part in Black Friday, we want the giving community to come together for #GivingTuesday.

This is a National Movement and we challenge YOU, our Tails from the Front Lines readers to get involved.  Spend today giving back to your favorite 501(c)3 non-profit… donate your time, donate your money, make a difference in your community and for a mission you are passionate about.

If you are interested in participating in #GivingTuesday and want to give back to Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet.  Here’s how you can help:

• Make a Donation
• Become a Foster Home
• Become a Volunteer
• Spread the Word about Us

We appreciate your support of our mission of helping our soldiers and their beloved pets!

National Volunteer Recognition Week: Spotlight on Heather O’Brien

Volunteers at Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet are the backbone of our organization.  We would not be here without the Foster Homes who open their homes to caring for a soldier’s pet… but it is our State, Regional and National Support Teams who make the organization run.  They dedicate hours of their time each month to make phone calls, set up appointments, file paperwork, and go out into the community to spread the word about what we do.   National Volunteer Recognition Week is April 6-13 and during this time we are going to highlight seven individuals who have gone above and beyond in 2013 for Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet.   It is our way of shinning the spotlight on their achievements, actions and accomplishments.   To start things off, let us tell you about Heather O’Brien…

Heather O’Brien is the organization’s Central and Northwest Regional Directors.  She always goes above and beyond, accepts additional responsibilities, provides excellent customer service to our clients and Foster Homes plus maintains communication with state level volunteers within her two regions (Central and NW).  She follow-ups on any cases where there may be an issue, maintains open communications with the National office, follows and adheres to the organization’s official policies and processes, and always submits the Volunteer Service Hours and Monthly Activity Reports in a timely manner. She has been a state level volunteer a few years ago, left for personal reasons and then returned as a volunteer with Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet as the IA Foster Coordination Liaison on August 16, 2012 and then last year moved up to Regional Director.

We asked Heather, why she decided to volunteer with the organization, and this is what she said:

“I joined the organization because of my love for animals and my respect for the military instilled in me by my father who volunteered for two deployments to Vietnam during the Vietnam War with the Marines as a radioman. The organization has allowed me to put these two items together to help the military and their pets.”

Thank you Heather for your time, dedication, continued efforts and passion towards the organization.  You are a wonderful team member and we thank you for all that you do.

 

Organization Adds Three New Members to Their Board of Directors

February 15, 2014, Gatesville, TX – Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet is very proud to announce our three new members of the Board of Directors (BoD) for 2014:

• Victoria Scott
  • Victoria is from Vermont.  She has been a volunteer since December 2009 and also serves as the Northeast Regional Director.
• Heather O’Brien
  • Heather is from Iowa. She has been a volunteer since August 2012 and also serves as the Central and Northwest Regional Director.
• Matthew O’Brien
  • Matthew is from Iowa. He has been a volunteer since January 2013 and also serves as the Central and Northwest Region Administrative Assistant.

The Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet Board of Directors (BoD) is responsible for overseeing the mission and purpose of the organization. Its duties include:

1. Participation in strategic planning
2. Making policy decisions, then securing the financing of them and the monitoring of their execution
3. Willing to attend the requisite meeting
4. Follow through on commitments
5. Participate fully in the decision-making process
6. Presents the organization’s image to the community
7. Solicits its support in achieving the organization’s goals

We sincerely thank Victoria, Heather and Matthew for their service and we are looking forward to a great year!

About Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet:

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet is a national all-volunteer 501(c)3 Military and Veteran Support Organization assisting active duty service members, wounded warriors, veterans, and their beloved companion animals or assistance service canines through various assistance programs. These programs include: the Military and Veteran Pet Foster Home Program, Military Pet Assistance fund, and the Warriors’ Angels Program (TX only). Unless stated otherwise programs are available in all 50 states and all Branches of Service including National Guard and Reserves. Learn more at http://www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org and follow our story on our blog, https://tailsfromthefrontline.wordpress.com. Also check out our affiliate organization, the MVP Sanctuary – Texas at http://www.mvpsanctuary.org.

Happy Anniversary to Linda Spurlin-Dominik, Founder of Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet

Happy Anniversary to Linda Spurlin-Dominik, our Founder and CEO!  Today marks her 9^th year supporting our active duty military, wounded warriors, veterans, and their beloved companion animals.

Linda along with Carol Olmedo realized the need for the organization after learning that military service members across the country had pets that needed a caring and safe home during the pet owner’s deployment or unforeseen hardship situation, but had not been able to find someone to care for them. This left the deploying heroes or veterans with only one option, legally surrender their pets and pet ownership rights to an animal shelter or rescue group never to see their pets again, and never knowing if they got a new good home or worse, end up being euthanized.

Linda and Carol knew that they needed to help…and in January 2005 in the state of Arkansas, Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet was born!

“Our military service members sacrifice so much for our country,” said Linda Spurlin-Dominik, Founder/CEO of Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet. “Through our programs, it is our hope that we can help cut down on the anxiety and uncertainty of deployment and, at the same time, say “thank you” for their service and sacrifice.”

It has been through Linda’s leadership, vision, experience and determination that the organization has become what it is today.  Thank You isn’t enough to say everything we as an organization owe to her.

We couldn’t have turned Linda’s dream into reality without the support and determination of our volunteers and supporters.  Thank you for allowing us to continue our mission to help soldiers and their companion animals during the past 9 years and into the future!

Happy 9th Anniversary, Linda!

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet Celebrates its Ninth Anniversary and Enters Into Its Tenth Year of Operations

Gatesville, TX, January 26, 2014 – Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet© proudly announce that the organization is celebrating its ninth anniversary and entering into their tenth year of operations. Linda Spurlin-Dominik and Carol Olmedo in the state of Arkansas with one simple goal founded the organization on January 26, 2005; to support of our deploying military and their companion animals. Since then, we have had many milestones, including:

• growing to a national 501c3 non-profit in all 50 states,
• establishing our Military and Veteran Pet Foster Home (MVPFH) program in January 2005,
• announcing plans for the MVP Sanctuary project in January 2007,
• establishing our Military Pet Assistance (MPA) fund in February 2008,
• purchasing 13 acres of land in Coryell County TX (outside Gatesville) in June 2010,
• moving our National office and day-to-day operations from Hot Springs, AR to Gatesville, TX in August 2010,
• purchasing an additional 1.75 acres of land in Gatesville, TX to provide additional land to support our military and veterans in June 2012,
• establishing our volunteer Regional and State level support teams,
• establishing our Warriors’ Angels (WA) program in SW Missouri in 2013 with plans to implement the program in TX (in and around San Antonio area initially) in January 2014,
• changing our MVP Sanctuary project to a nonprofit public charity corporation in July 2013,
• reuniting 550+ companion animals with their Military Service Members, Veteran or Wounded Warriors owners, and
• developing a network of potential foster homes across the country.

As the organization moves into it’s tenth year of operations, we wish to thank those who have supported us, look forward to continue growing our programs and affiliate organizations and being their to support our military service members, veterans, wounded warriors, and their companion/service animals.

About Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet©:

An ALL volunteer 501c3 Military and Veterans Support Organization supporting our active duty military, wounded warriors, veterans, and their beloved companion animals with programs to ensure these beloved pets are reunited with their owners following a deployment (combat or peacekeeping or humanitarian mission) and/or an unforeseen medical and/or homeless hardship. Also supporting our service members and veterans diagnosed with PTSD needing a specially trained assistance canine enhancing the service member/veteran’s quality of life.

Learn more at www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org and follow our story on our blog, https://tailsfromthefrontline.wordpress.com.

Media Inquiries: media@guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org