New Leash on Life USA Adds Philadelphia-Based Philanthropy Veteran to Board

Philadelphia, PA—April 17 2017—New Leash on Life USA, the organization reducing recidivism while saving the lives of at-risk shelter dogs, announced today that it has appointed Patrick Milligan, Hub Division Manager for UPS, to its board.

Milligan’s thirty-year career with UPS is punctuated by community involvement and philanthropic endeavors. He was elected committee person for the city’s 18th Ward, served as the President of the Board of Trustees for the Philadelphia Academy of Charter Schools, and worked on several political campaigns. Most recently, Milligan led an effort at UPS which raised over $12,000 for the Share Food Program, a nonprofit serving a regional network of community organizations engaged in food distribution, education, and advocacy.

“It’s rare to come across people such as those at New Leash on Life USA,” says Milligan. “Not only am I inspired by the work they do, but the concept reassures me there are still good people in the world who are invested in true community service. My family and I have rescued two dogs, and as a parent and involved member of the community, I know we have a responsibility to give a second chance to those who are most vulnerable in our society. I look forward to serving this organization, and changing the lives of both humans and dogs.”

The six-year-old nonprofit rescues at-risk dogs from shelters and matches them with inmates, who spend 12 weeks training them to become more adoptable. New Leash in Life USA recently became one of the few organizations in the country to train both male and female inmates at the same facility when it added a women’s program at the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Nationally, this model has shown to cut recidivism drastically, while also allowing a dog otherwise facing death at a shelter to be adopted.

“Our organization has helped over 200 inmate dog handlers’, who often go on to lead productive lives with successful careers after being released” says Marian V. Marchese, Founder and CEO of New Leash on Life USA. “In turn, we’ve saved 150 at-risk dogs, and instead, placed them in loving homes. Pat, who brings decades of leadership and nonprofit experience, as well as his personal passion for these men, women, and dogs, will make a wonderful addition to the board.”

Inmates that participate in the New Leash on Life USA program receive 12 weeks of job readiness training, life skills workshops, and opportunities paid internships upon release. The internships, coupled with 90 days of post-release support, help these participants create new lives that are diversions from the paths that led them into crime, and the prison system, in the first place.

ABOUT NEW LEASH ON LIFE USA

New Leash on Life USA is a nonprofit organization transforming the lives of incarcerated men and women as they return to their communities with self-esteem, worth, and the foundation to become productive citizens, while simultaneously transforming the lives of shelter dogs that have achieved adoptable status as a valued companion. Through an innovative reform model that leverages the powerful bond between dogs and humans, the organization reduces recidivism and saves the lives of at-risk dogs.