Matthew is a clever, funny eight year old boy. At first glance, he appears to be just like any other typical kid his age, rambunctious and silly. However, our story isn't so typical. When Matthew was three years old he began to act differently than his peers. He began to have major meltdowns that would last for hours. He had trouble focusing and became more aggressive towards himself and others. When he began to struggle in pre-school, I (mom) reached out for help. At the age of five, Matthew was finally diagnosed with Autism. A diagnosis has allowed for early intervention including endless therapies and medications. Due to his daily challenges, Matthew has even moved schools over three times, finally entering the most specialized program in the district only last year.

Being diagnosed with Autism has not offered any cure or solution. Matthew still struggles every day to manage sensory overload, social anxieties, and depression with help from medication and therapy. There is still hope for Matthew to have a brighter future. A Service Dog would truly be a blessing for our family. Matthew's Service Dog will provide emotional support by recognizing when he is anxious, sad, upset, or unable to focus and provide early intervention to assist him. He will offer love and affection and even sleep alongside Matthew to comfort him each night. He will be trained to travel with him, even on airplanes, or accompany him to any public place, including school.

While a Service Dog is the perfect next step for Matthew, the process is time consuming and very expensive. As a single income household, the extra costs are daunting. The program we have chosen is through Assistance Dogs of the West. The program can take two years or more and the cost is approximately $6,500. Please consider Matthew's story and donating to our cause. Thank you, all help is truly appreciated!

Matthew's Mom,

Mandy