Dixon Hughes Goodman, a U.S. top 20 public accounting and advisory firm, partnered with paws4people throughout 2018 by sponsoring the training of an assistance dog named Dewey, a one-year-old golden retriever. As part of the partnership, the DHG Foundation and DHG team members donated more than $35,000 to support Dewey. With her training nearly complete, Dewey will soon be placed with a veteran or an individual with physical, neurological, psychological or emotional disabilities through paws4people's assistance dog placement program.
“We engaged everyone in our firm from the top-down,” says DHG Foundation President, Pat Shuler. “The thing I loved most about our partnership is everybody was keyed into the program, and we didn’t just contribute money, but we engaged with local recipients across our firm who have assistance dogs, to learn more about paws4people and the impact the organization has had on their lives.”
DHG team members collectively contributed towards the campaign over a 12-month period to sponsor Dewey’s training. Interactive fundraising activities such as a naming contest and support during DHG's November Month of Giving campaign helped garner enthusiasm for the sponsorship. To build connection to the work of paws4people, service dogs made special visits to our offices, our intern training and Dewey even made a special appearance at the annual partner meeting. These activities raised awareness about people living with disabilities and connected team members to the life-changing impact that paws4people makes for both individuals and communities.
"We have been very blessed by the support that Dixon Hughes Goodman has given paws4people and paws4vets in the past year,” says Kyria L. Henry, Executive Director of paws4people. “We are all looking forward to seeing who Dewey will be placed with and how she will help change lives. We are grateful for DHG and the partnership we had this year and we are looking forward to working more together in the future.”
DHG produced a podcast, DHG-IMPACT – Partnering with paws4people, featuring paws4people CEO, Kyria Henry, to highlight the work the organization is doing through its assistance dog training program. DHG also created a “Life in the Day of Dewey” video (view video) to share a snapshot of Dewey’s training as she prepares for her future mission to make a difference in the life of the human with whom she is matched.
About paws4people
paws4people is a 501(c)(3) public charity that places trained, certified, and insured Assistance Dogs with individuals with physical, neurological, psychological, and/or emotional disabilities, including civilians (children, adolescents, and adults) through the paws4people Assistance Dog Placement Program, and veterans, service members, and dependents of either through the paws4vets Assistance Dog Placement Program. paws4people was founded in 1999. In the last almost 20 years, the organization has placed dogs in 25 states, with nationwide placement consideration.
About Dixon Hughes Goodman
With more than 2,000 people in 13 states, Dixon Hughes Goodman ranks among the nation’s top 20 public accounting firms. Offering comprehensive assurance, tax and advisory services, the firm focuses on major industry lines and serves clients in all 50 states as well as internationally. Visit www.dhgllp.com for additional information.
