If you’ve been following Sarah and William for a while, you already know how much they adore their two dogs, Gertrude and Francine. Here’s something you might not know: William sits on the board of directors of Helping Paws, a charity based here in Minnesota. If you’re unfamiliar, here’s the run-down:
“Helping Paws is a nationally recognized nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs. We place service dogs with individuals who have physical disabilities, service dogs with veterans and first responders living with service-related PTSD, and facility dogs with professionals in courthouse, educational, and mental health settings. [...] What does that look like in daily life? It means a veteran who can sleep through the night, a parent with PTSD who can confidently drive their child to school, and countless keys, gloves, and phones retrieved for those who can’t reach them alone. It means doors opened, lights turned on, and lives transformed through four paws and a powerful bond. It means changed lives.”
The difference this program makes is huge, and we want to invite you to participate. Here are a few ways you can get involved and support Helping Paws’ mission:
-
Donate. We especially want to highlight the Hortman Heroes Fund, newly created in honor of Representative Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their beloved dog, Gilbert. This fund supports Helping Paws programs that place service dogs with veterans and first responders with service-related PTSD.
-
Contribute silent auction items to this year’s Tail Waggin’ Dinner (September 20th, 2025).
-
Volunteer. You can help host, train, or dogsit, or volunteer to assist with our events, outreach, and more.
Stay in the loop by signing up for the Helping Paws email newsletter!
