Shelter to Soldier Announces Fundraising Campaign to Benefit U. S. Veterans

San Diego, CAlifornia, January 21, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Shelter to Soldier, a San Diego-based 501c3 non-profit organization that rescues shelter dogs and trains them as certified psychiatric service companions for post 9/11 U.S. combat veterans suffering from PTSD and/or TBI, announces the launch of their online Indiegogo fundraising campaign http://igg.me/p/shelter-to-soldier-saving-lives-two-at-a-time/x/9546510) {C} to underwrite the cost of training shelter dogs and matching them with participating veterans. Every day on average, twenty-three (23) U.S. veterans commit suicide (Department of Veteran Affairs). In the past year alone, the number of diagnosed cases of PTSD in the military jumped 50% and this represents cases that have been diagnosed. Studies estimate that one in every five military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is suffering from PTSD. Shelter to Soldier is dedicated to alleviating the impact of this statistic by fulfilling a much-needed solution in the veteran community. In addition, every 11 seconds, a shelter animal is euthanized in the U.S.

Shelter to Soldier service dogs have been proven to interrupt moments of elevated stress and repetitive nightmares experienced by veterans suffering from PTSD and/or TBI, decreased hypervigilence through companionship, and a renewed sense of security. Shelter to Soldier companion dogs also provide impartial emotional support and motivate the veteran to participate in family activities, society in general, and heightened physical activity. With the aid of a service dog, veterans regain the familiarity of being a team member, similar to their active military service. Training a service dog at this level in the for-profit world costs upwards of $25,000, however, with the longstanding relationships Shelter to Soldier has within the community and dedicated volunteer support, the organization is able to cut costs considerably. Each service dog/veteran team costs Shelter to Soldier $12,000, on average. Their goal with this campaign is to rescue at least one dog for their program to be matched with a veteran from their wait list. Additional funding beyond their goal will be applied toward training and partnering additional rescue dogs with veterans.

Founder Graham Bloem remarks, "What's great about this online fundraising campaign is that individuals and corporations alike can donate as little as $50 or as much as their budget allows. The cost of a dog's journey through our program includes safe housing fees, medical expenses, training, equipment, food, grooming, treats, toys, supplements, Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing and certification, Service Dog testing and certification, liability insurance, handler training, and graduation materials for the veteran..."

Graham Bloem, Founder, Shelter to Soldier

Shelter to Soldier is supported solely through charitable contributions from corporations, charitable foundations and private individuals. Founder Graham Bloem remarks, ”What’s great about this online fundraising campaign is that individuals and corporations alike can donate as little as $50 or as much as their budget allows. The cost of a dog's journey through our program includes safe housing fees, medical expenses, training, equipment, food, grooming, treats, toys, supplements, Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing and certification, Service Dog testing and certification, liability insurance, handler training, and graduation materials for the veteran. Any amount donated contributes to these expenses. We also offer lifetime follow-up training for all of our veteran/service dog teams.”

To learn more about veteran-support services provided by STS, visit  call 855-CUS-TMK9 (855-287-8659) for a confidential interview regarding veteran eligibility.