Our Community, Our Grace, and Her Service Dog Journey

Hi friends and neighbors,

Many of you know my daughter, Grace — she’s 18, full of joy, loves music (especially Taylor Swift ), and has a heart that makes everyone smile. Grace is nonverbal and profoundly impacted by Autism. Because she can’t communicate with words, she often experiences high anxiety, and she finds comfort in deep squeezes and hugs.

Grace also has trouble sleeping and is often awake throughout the night, which means I’m always on alert to keep her safe. Even with those challenges, she loves being out in the community — going for adaptive hikes, swimming, or "singing" along to her favorite songs at concerts.

We’re now starting a new chapter: training a service dog to help Grace live more safely and comfortably. Her future service dog will help calm her with deep pressure therapy, provide a sense of security in public, and even alert us at night when she’s awake or needs help.

As many of you know, service dog training can be quite expensive. We’re reaching out to our amazing community to help make this dream possible. Every bit helps — whether it’s a donation, sharing our story, or simply sending kind words our way.

If you’ve ever met Grace, you know she gives love freely to everyone she meets. We’re hoping this community that she loves so much can help give a little of that love back to her.

Thank you for being part of our village — it truly takes one.

With gratitude,

Shannon & Grace