Hand2Paw Having Fundraiser at Ardmore Music Hall

Hand2Paw empowers homeless and at risk youth by providing opportunities for them to volunteer and intern in animal shelters. we want to tell you a story of one young woman who came through our program.

In early 2013, Cheryl came to her first Hand2Paw volunteer session at Philadelphia’s Animal Control shelter (ACCT Philly). She was quiet as a mouse and clearly uncomfortable making eye contact. She patiently waited through the introductory sessions where our volunteer leaders talk about how everyone is feeling and quiz them on what they have learned about dog behavior and safety around animals. It seemed like she was trying desperately not to be noticed. But when we entered the kennels, she opened up. She loved interacting with the animals and came back week after week to volunteer, usually still quiet but smiling more and more. Eventually, she worked up the courage to ask about the possibility of an internship. We learned more about her. How she had been taken from her mother at the age of 4 and placed into foster care. She was returned to her mother after three years in foster care only to lose her to cancer at age 11. The years that followed were filled with abuse and neglect and, eventually, homelessness. She wanted so much to succeed but she needed a hand to lift her up. Believing in Cheryl’s abilities, we placed Cheryl in a job working with the animals at PAWS’ shelter in Gray’s Ferry and gave her the support she needed. We are proud to say that she has retained that job for over six months now. Because she was employed, she was able to leave Covenant House and move into housing at the new JBJ Soul Homes in Fairmont. Now, she resides in her own beautiful apartment (she raves about the walk in closet!) and she has a 4.0 in her studies at Community College of Philadelphia. And, most astonishingly, at the grand opening of the JBJ Soul Homes, this young woman who once could not look us in the eye shared the stage with Jon Bon Jovi, Sister Mary Scullion of Project H.O.M.E., the President of City Council and other dignitaries and she brought the house down reading a poem about her mother and her own journey out of homelessness. There was not a dry eye in the house.

We want to create more bright futures for young men and women like Cheryl. Hand2Paw has now been operating for four years. We have had 16 interns pass through our program and worked extensively at all three major animal shelters in Philadelphia. Villanova University’s Social Justice Documentary Program learned of our program and chose us as the subject of their film this year. The film, entitled Heel’d (for its double meaning), was a finalist for a Student Academy Award and powerfully explains to the world what Hand2Paw is about.

Until recently, Hand2Paw was 100% volunteer-powered. Our volunteers would leave their regular jobs to go to supervise our kids in the shelters. But we know that we could have a much greater impact on both the youth and the animals with a paid staff person. This Sunday, we are having our First Annual Fundraiser at Ardmore Music Hall: food, drink specials, screening of Heel’d, silent auction and live music, all for just a $25 admission price. Please join us and help us create more futures like Cheryl’s!