Emma's Campaign for Little Angels Service Dogs
Tax deductible
Hi, my name is Emma Kautz and I am 17 years old. My family and I are currently fundraising for a non-profit organization named Little Angels Service Dogs. Little Angels places service dogs with children and adults across the country with a variety of disabilities. Little Angels trains many kinds of service dogs but for myself and others like me this will mean receiving a life changing Mobility Assistance Dog. The money fundraised will help pay for all of these special dogs for recipients on the waiting list.
Over the past few years my disabilities have progressed to the point where I can no longer live my life independently, as I am walker or wheelchair bound and can no longer attend school. One of my main diagnoses is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Hypermobility type. This is a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the collagen in my body. Because collagen is found in every cell, this diagnosis affects all of my body systems. It has also caused a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) due to dysautonomia, a dysfunction of the body’s autonomic nervous system. Because of the loose ligaments in my body, I also have Cranio-Cervical Instability, meaning my skull and top vertebra pinch my brain stem. It has also greatly affected my GI system leaving me dependent on a feeding tube to my intestines and IV nutrition through a central line to my heart. These conditions affect my balance and cause fatigue, constant chronic pain and nausea, painful partial dislocations to most joints, and a whole host of other debilitating symptoms. These are just a few of the conditions that I live with daily.
I have been accepted by Little Angels Service Dogs to receive a Mobility Assistance Service Dog from their program. Little Angels trains service dogs to help children and adults with a variety of different disabilities. It is a charitable 501c3 non-profit organization and all donations to it are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Their dogs are trained in foster homes from the moment they are weaned. Once the dogs are mature enough, they are brought back to the Little Angels training facility for specialized task training to assist the individual with whom they will be placed. At around age two, each dog is paired with its perfect match on the waiting list to work with and love forever.
In my case a Mobility Assistance Service Dog will greatly improve my quality of life. Due to my limited mobility, I am dependent on a walker in the house and a wheelchair outside. Because getting around is so taxing, my dog will be able to do and retrieve many things for me. For example, it will assist me with balance, be able to turn on and off light switches, retrieve items from across the room, bring me emergency medications and an emergency phone, and close and open doors for me… both literally and figuratively! Additionally my dog will be able to give me back some of the independence in daily living that I have lost, allowing me to do many things I can’t currently do without the help of my parents. I haven’t been able to attend school for almost four years and don't get to spend much time with peers; thus, my dog will provide much needed companionship during time spent at the hospital or alone, which is far too often. But most importantly, I greatly hope that my dog will allow me to participate more fully in life in the future. I hope it will allow me to go to college and live independently in the dorms, help me return to participating in piano and other passions, and enjoy a normal teenage school and social life.
It will be a wonderful gift for me and other people like myself to receive the benefits of a service dog. Every dog Little Angels provides is paid for by donations. It can cost upwards of $50,000 to raise and train a service dog. There are a lot of expenses associated with training a dog so skilled, so we are working as volunteers to help raise some of these funds. Because the whole process can be quite lengthy, we are trying to raise money as quickly as possible to ensure Little Angels can continue to provide these special dogs speedily. The sooner funding is achieved, the shorter the wait time is for recipients.
Little Angels Service Dogs is a 501c3 nonprofit organization of trainers and volunteers who work to provide highly trained dogs to assist disabled children and adults throughout the United States. Please remember- all donations are tax deductible and every donation helps us reach our goal!
Please consider sharing this message with your friends and family and as many people as you can.
We cannot thank you enough for your help!
Over the past few years my disabilities have progressed to the point where I can no longer live my life independently, as I am walker or wheelchair bound and can no longer attend school. One of my main diagnoses is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Hypermobility type. This is a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the collagen in my body. Because collagen is found in every cell, this diagnosis affects all of my body systems. It has also caused a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) due to dysautonomia, a dysfunction of the body’s autonomic nervous system. Because of the loose ligaments in my body, I also have Cranio-Cervical Instability, meaning my skull and top vertebra pinch my brain stem. It has also greatly affected my GI system leaving me dependent on a feeding tube to my intestines and IV nutrition through a central line to my heart. These conditions affect my balance and cause fatigue, constant chronic pain and nausea, painful partial dislocations to most joints, and a whole host of other debilitating symptoms. These are just a few of the conditions that I live with daily.
I have been accepted by Little Angels Service Dogs to receive a Mobility Assistance Service Dog from their program. Little Angels trains service dogs to help children and adults with a variety of different disabilities. It is a charitable 501c3 non-profit organization and all donations to it are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Their dogs are trained in foster homes from the moment they are weaned. Once the dogs are mature enough, they are brought back to the Little Angels training facility for specialized task training to assist the individual with whom they will be placed. At around age two, each dog is paired with its perfect match on the waiting list to work with and love forever.
In my case a Mobility Assistance Service Dog will greatly improve my quality of life. Due to my limited mobility, I am dependent on a walker in the house and a wheelchair outside. Because getting around is so taxing, my dog will be able to do and retrieve many things for me. For example, it will assist me with balance, be able to turn on and off light switches, retrieve items from across the room, bring me emergency medications and an emergency phone, and close and open doors for me… both literally and figuratively! Additionally my dog will be able to give me back some of the independence in daily living that I have lost, allowing me to do many things I can’t currently do without the help of my parents. I haven’t been able to attend school for almost four years and don't get to spend much time with peers; thus, my dog will provide much needed companionship during time spent at the hospital or alone, which is far too often. But most importantly, I greatly hope that my dog will allow me to participate more fully in life in the future. I hope it will allow me to go to college and live independently in the dorms, help me return to participating in piano and other passions, and enjoy a normal teenage school and social life.
It will be a wonderful gift for me and other people like myself to receive the benefits of a service dog. Every dog Little Angels provides is paid for by donations. It can cost upwards of $50,000 to raise and train a service dog. There are a lot of expenses associated with training a dog so skilled, so we are working as volunteers to help raise some of these funds. Because the whole process can be quite lengthy, we are trying to raise money as quickly as possible to ensure Little Angels can continue to provide these special dogs speedily. The sooner funding is achieved, the shorter the wait time is for recipients.
Little Angels Service Dogs is a 501c3 nonprofit organization of trainers and volunteers who work to provide highly trained dogs to assist disabled children and adults throughout the United States. Please remember- all donations are tax deductible and every donation helps us reach our goal!
Please consider sharing this message with your friends and family and as many people as you can.
We cannot thank you enough for your help!
Organizer
Bonnie Frostig Kautz
Organizer
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Little Angels Service Dogs
Beneficiary