Support Our Clients
NEADS clients pledge to support the organization by raising $8,000 to help sustain our programs. You can join the hundreds of people who make a donation to NEADS and help our clients meet their fundraising pledges. Read their stories here, then make your donation to NEADS.
- All Clients
- Assistance Dog
- Clients Fundraising for Others
- Service Dog
- Service Dog for a Child
- Service Dog for Hearing
Abby Stavitsky & Pepper
Abby Stavitsky has over 20 years’ experience as a federal criminal prosecutor in the District of Columbia. Her Assistance Dog, Pepper, helps victims, witnesses and first responders…
Allie Vega
Hi my name is Alexzandra Vega. People often knows me as Allie. I am a deaf mom of two beautiful children ages 6 and 2. I am also a full time student and a Relief worker helping individuals with developmental disabilities.
Andy Valcich
Andy is an amazing boy. He’s not only autistic, but twice exceptional, meaning that he’s also incredibly intelligent. It’s so difficult to get Andy out of the digital world of youtube and video games in which he would like to spend all of his time. I consider this dog a lifeline to bring my…
Angelia Meyer & Tyson
Since Tyson has joined me on my clinical team at the Intensive Residential Treatment Program, he has instantly created an environment of joy and encouragement.
Beth Hendrickson
Hi, my name is Beth Hendrickson. I am 36 years old and began life 14 weeks early as a micro-preemie weighing 1 lb 9 oz. I been called a fighter and got through this early trauma seemingly unscathed. I was later diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome…
Beth Johnson
This Dog is Coming to School! For years, first as a teacher and now as an administrator, I have been thinking about what a difference a dog would make for so many students in our school. For students who have difficulty trusiting people, or those who have challenges coming to school, a dog can become…
Carly Smrz
Hello there! My name is Carly. I am 31 years old and I have CHARGE Syndrome. When I was born 31 years ago, doctors told my parents that their beautiful little girl would never be able to do anything that an average healthy child is able to do. My parents persevered and became determined to…
Caroline Thom
My name is Caroline Thom, and I’ve been teaching third grade at Bishop School for 27 years. It is with great anticipation that our school will soon welcome an assistance dog to our community.
Courtney Chmura & Banks
Everything happens for a reason, we don’t always understand why. I have come to believe my accident happened to bring Banks into my life and to bring me to NEADS so that I could help other clients with their fundraising.
Courtney Wang & Darcy
My name is Courtney Wang. I’m an occupational therapist at Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center, a neuro rehabilitation facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Galaxy is an amazing community of therapists and brain injury survivors who all work together to meet each survivor’s goals…
David Kelly
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1988, so I have been fighting this disease for many, many years. I was recently assigned a Service Dog named Radcliffe. I have been through the two-week training with him at the NEADS campus and am looking forward to many years of help from him. One very important task that Radcliffe does for me is to pick things up that I have dropped. Over the years, this has become very difficult for me to do and having Radcliffe help me has preserved my energy to complete more of my daily living tasks on my own…
Detective Daniele Fortunato
Hi! My name is Daniele Fortunato. I have been a Police Officer for the Town of Harvard for the past 16 years and I am currently assigned as a Detective/School Resource Officer. Throughout my years in town I have had the ability to develop important relationships, based on trust and understanding, with the town’s residents,…
Diane Bertolino
Hi, my name is Diane Bertolino and I live in Natick, Ma. I grew up loving and playing all sports and was always very active until 19 years ago when I was diagnosed with CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome) after an accident, which has left me on crutches and other medical equipment. Since then I…
Edison Boots
My name is Edison and I am 8 years old. I am very affectionate and active. I love playing with my brothers and my sister, building with legos, and learning everything there is to know about dinosaurs! Having Autism and ADHD makes some day to day activities a bit more difficult.
Ella Berger
Ella, age 13, has tremendous gifts that can be easily stifled or railroaded by a torrent of emotions and sensory stimuli. Ella’s strengths and weaknesses are in her neurodiversity, experiencing life in exaggerated peaks and valleys.
Emma Faye Rudkin
Emma Faye is getting a hearing dog! This dog will help navigate Emma Faye’s everyday tasks and traveling as a deaf individual. She is excited to add into this beautiful adventure a canine companion. They will sign/speak &bark to 100’s of people together!
Erin Sullivan & Harry
Hi! My name is Erin Sullivan. I have been a clinician and school adjustment counselor for almost 20 years. My favorite population to work with is teenagers. Currently, I am a school adjustment counselor at Millis High School. MHS is a small public school with about 400 students. In my role there, I work to help support the students through the school day and their lives. It is a rewarding job that I am passionate about…
Gabriel Altland
We have been blessed with three children, all of whom have unique needs. Gabriel, our oldest and only son, has autism spectrum disorder. Most people are not aware of his daily struggles and hardships. We have learned so much, been stretched past our comfort zone, became advocates over the past nine years. Autism just doesn’t…
Gary Grimes
Hi! My name is Gary Grimes and I am a Chaplain working on a hospice team in the western Massachusetts area. We work with patients who have been diagnosed with a chronic disease and have made a decision to receive no more intensive treatment. This does not mean that the patients have decided on death.…
Jake Williams
My name is Jake Williams. I live north of Boston Mass and I’m 9 years old. While I appear to just struggle a little to most people, sometimes my anxiety and social skills get the best of me. I suffer from Autism which affects my understanding of social cues and norms, severe anxiety, and…
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