Each spring we announce the recipient the Spirit of NEADS award, given annually to an individual, organization, or group of individuals who over an extended period of time have passionately exuded the energy, values, and commitment embodied in the NEADS mission. This year, NEADS honored the 5th recipient of the Spirit of NEADS Award, Massachusetts State Representative Kim Ferguson. Kim has been a longtime supporter of NEADS, with years of service to the organization.

Among her many contributions were securing a proclamation for NEADS Kathy Foreman Client House and Training Center ribbon cutting, and presenting two proclamations recognizing our 40th anniversary. For the past few years, NEADS has benefited by a state grant to help fund our Service Dogs for Veterans program, our first state grant and one that Kim helped push through initially and each year since.

Additionally, this past January, Kim introduced legislation to make the use of fake service dogs a civil crime in the Massachusetts. We are so pleased to honor Kim with our NEADS Spirit Award and to recognize her as a true and passionate friend of NEADS and a vocal cheerleader for NEADS Nation.