For My Birthday: Help Me Support Ruff Translating

This year, for my birthday, I’m asking my communities—and the communities of my communities—to help me give back to a truly life-changing organization in my life: Ruff Translating.

Gratitude + Giving: Thank-You Offerings

Every contribution—big or small—means the world to me and to Ruff Translating. Truly. If you’d rather donate anonymously or skip any thank-you gifts, just note “no need for gift” (or choose to donate anonymously when you give).

And honestly, I’ll probably write thank-you notes for everyone who donates anyway, because I’m all contributions are so meaningful.

Here’s how I’d like to thank folks for higher-level gifts that help sustain this life-changing work:

$50 — Ruff Translating Sticker

A little piece of the RT magic to carry with you!

$100 — Ruff Translating Sticker + Augie Sticker

Double the joy: one from RT, one of the world’s goofiest golden boy, Augie.

$250 — A demo video of Service Dog tasks + Handwritten Note from Shelby & Augie

A special preview of the amazing work these pups can do, along with a handwritten thank-you from both of us.

$500 — Handwritten Note + Pictures of Augie + Ruff Translating T-Shirt

Gratitude from us, adorable Augie photos, and official RT gear to show your support proudly.

$1000 — Tour & Service Dog Demo with Ejay and His Service Dog

A virtual or in-person behind-the-scenes look at Ruff Translating, including a live service dog demonstration and conversation with RT founder, Ejay.

What is Ruff Translating?

Ruff Translating (RT) is a small business in Boston that trains service dogs by forefronting the experiences and needs of disabled handlers with a variety of disabilities, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Ruff Translating was originally founded in 2015 by Ejay on his 50-acre working livestock farm, as a low-stress dog-boarding option as well as in-home private training lessons. In 2020, Ruff Translating made its debut in Boston with the opening of their first storefront. Seeing the wide gap in access for disabled folks to service dogs outside of the military, first responders, and traditional guide dog services, Ejay started RT because everyone deserves the dignity of the correct tools for their disabilities.

Unlike most programs that charge tens of thousands upfront, RT uses a pay-per-service model, making life-saving training accessible to more people. They also offer sliding scale options, scholarships, and deferred payments, ensuring no one is turned away for financial reasons.

Over half of RT’s service dog graduates have received financial support through these programs. Trainers remain lifelong partners to handlers—offering ongoing support without additional pay—because for RT, this isn’t just a business. It’s a community.

The co-owners of RT, Ejay and Kim, are a powerhouse team who represent within their own identities and lived experiences deep relationships with the trans, queer, disabled, and intersectional justice communities. They are not only small business owners but advocates for the clients (handlers and dogs alike) for ethical, access-centered care. The work they do, the community they build, and the handler-service dog pairs they cultivate truly change the lives of their clients.

Why This Matters to Me

As some of you may already know, I had my first episode of what I now know to be Functional Neurological Disorder in high school. I was 17 years old. Over the past 15 years, I have had severe periods of debilitating functional seizures that characterize my experience of this disorder. The economic privilege of my white family, my access to higher education, and many other parts of my privileged identities have empowered me to seek incredible healthcare over the years.

And yet, as so many with chronic illness know, no amount of money or education will make a disability disappear. Almost 10 years of pushing through and often quietly managing with the help of dear friends my disability, I finally admitted I needed security, predictability, and resources to live safely with FND.

In Spring 2024, I sought out Ruff Translating. When I first started working with Ruff Translating, I met my first service dog. I also met in person, for the first time in 15 years, another person with FND. When I say it was a life-changing experience, I mean that I am not the same person I was before having access to the services and community at Ruff Translating.

Training for a service dog has coincided with the hardest period of disability I’ve ever experienced—but I’ve never felt more supported or seen. The warmth, adaptability, and justice-centered mission of RT gave me more than a service dog; it gave me a new way to live safely and fully

Why This for My Birthday

I’m doing this out of gratitude—not the “good vibes only” kind, but the deep, grounded kind.

Gratitude for the team that keeps me safe.

Gratitude for the dog who will help me live independently.

Gratitude for all of you, my community, who’ve held me through these years.

If you’ve ever wanted to take tangible action to support disabled, queer, and trans people, this is one meaningful way to do it.

Your contribution—large or small—helps Ruff Translating continue to provide sliding scale access, fund scholarships, and expand their life-changing work.

‍ Let’s Build This Life Together

For my birthday, help me give back to the organization that’s changing my life—and so many others.

Donate. Share. Celebrate community care.

✨ Every dollar builds a world where disabled and queer people can thrive—with their service dogs by their side. ✨