A Program Supported Financially by Galena Lions Charities
Mission
To enhance the lives of people who are visually impaired.
Program
Leader Dogs for the Blind conducts 12 sessions per year of the 26-day live-in dog guide program, with a maximum of 24 students in each session. The school strives to meet the special needs of its diverse pupils with accommodations such as a Spanish-speaking instructor, late evening diabetic snacks, and one of only two existing programs for individuals who are both deaf and blind.
Funding
Leader Dog operates entirely on donated funds. No government or United Way funding is received. The continued success of the Leader Dog program depends on the generosity of contributors and community funding sources around the world. Donations are raised through a variety of means. Several signature events, an annual giving program, planned gifts and Lions Club support are the primary means of raising money for Leader Dogs for the Blind.
History
Leader Dog was founded in 1939 by three members of a Detroit area Lions Clubs who were unable to obtain a dog guide for a friend from any other source. The trio led the purchase of an old farmhouse in Rochester Hills, Michigan to house the training facilities. Since then, the school has raised, trained and graduated more than 14,000 Leader Dogs.
Affiliation
Private, nonprofit agency that is a major project of the service organization: