CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE
SOUTHEAST REGION
2009 GOALS and OBJECTIVES UPDATE
May 1, 2009
Participant Goals
 Generate a minimum of 450 Requests for Application
173 Application Requests received—38% of goal
 Generate 100 completed applications
32 Applications received—32% of goal
30 Service applications (including successor)
13 Service Applications received—43% of goal
60 Skilled Companion applications
19 Skilled Companion Applications received—32% of goal
10 Facility applications
None received to date
 Generate 12 applications from minorities
6 applications received from minority applicants—50% of goal
 Conduct interviews of applicants:
75 Telephone Interviews
23 Telephone interviews completed—31% of goal
48 Personal Interviews
8 Personal interviews completed—31% of goal
 Accept a minimum of 46 new quality applicants onto our waiting list.
30 Skilled Companion applicants
5 Skilled Companion applicants accepted—17% of goal
10 Service applicants
3 Service applicants accepted—30% of goal
6 Facility applicants
1 Facility applicant accepted—17% of goal
 Build and maintain a wait list of 25 Skilled Companion candidates.
12 Skilled Companion candidates on the list.
 Place at least 35 Southeast teams by 12/31/09.
8 teams placed—25% of goal
7 teams scheduled for May Team Training.
 Increase recruitment efforts through at least 4 major contacts/events by 12/31/09.
Several outreach events have been completed including Challenge Air, presentation and
meeting with the Tampa Shriners Hospital staff and the Special Education Parent Teacher
Association Enrichment Fair. Other events planned include the Family Café, Nathaniel’s
Hope, the Spina Bifida Conference and the Amputee Coalition of America.
 Evaluate requests for applications and follow up with all appropriate requests.
Ongoing monthly


Conduct follow-up workshops for graduates including a Graduate Round-Up or
Reunion in the fall of 2009.
Trips have been completed this year to see graduated in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama,
Georgia and Louisiana. An additional trip is being considered to North Carolina in the
summer.
Follow-up with the graduates that have not been physically seen in the last 2 years.
Graduate Update Forms were sent out this in April. Follow ups will be scheduled for all
graduates who have not been seen in a the last 2 years and any graduates who have question
or concerns regarding their placement.
Training Goals
 Train and place 35 SER dogs.
9 dogs placed—28% of goal (8 at SER and 1 hearing)
 Recruit and maintain a minimum of 6 training staff.
5 training staff members are at SER.
 Provide disability education to all staff a minim of 3 times per year.
Autism and Related Disabilities education was provided in April.
Next program: Disability Stereotypes.
 Continue public awareness through strategic planning for field trip locations.
Ongoing
Puppy Program Goals







Place 120 puppies in quality puppy raiser homes.
44 puppies placed—37% of goal
Expand training for Puppy Raiser Mentors and submit quarterly progress report of the
mentoring program.
Ten mentors are currently assigned to 14 first time puppy raisers.
Maintain a waiting list of 15-20 puppy raisers for incoming puppies to ensure
immediate placement.
34 puppy raisers are currently on the list, but several have deferred accepting a puppy due to
changes in their economic status or other factors.
Continue to recruit new puppy raisers across the region.
15 new puppy raisers approved in 2009 with only 1 being from the Orlando area. There are
2 in Atlanta, GA; 1 in Birmingham, AL; 1 in Knoxville, TN; 2 in Chattanooga, TN and 1 in
Fort Mill, SC.
Recruit, train and monitor a puppy socializer program for each prison program.
There are 5 active prison programs in SER and each one has 6-8 socializers that work with
them. The goal is to have a socializer per puppy, although many of them work with multiple
puppies.
Conduct a Puppy Raiser Workshop in Georgia, South Florida or North Carolina.
A puppy workshop was conducted on April 25, 2009 in Kennesaw, GA.
Conduct a Foster Sitter Workshop in Orlando.
Completed January 24, 2009.


Continue to track application requests and applications received.
91 Requests/ 50 applications returned (26 new and 24 repeat)
Produce quarterly e-newsletters to puppy raisers.
Newsletter sent in January
Kennel Goals





Coordinate and staff assist with the staffing of an educational booth at the NAVC and
ADI conferences that are scheduled for January 2009.
Completed
Continue to serve on the Advisory Boards of the Florida Institute of Animal Arts and
West Tech Vocational School.
Mary Kaup, Kennel supervisor currently serves on these Boards.
Schedule personal contacts with a minimum of 6 veterinarians to solicit assistance with
OFA x-rays, Penn Hip x-rays, spays, neuters and other medical needs.
Contact Eukanuba and Merial quarterly for donation of puppy kits to be used in the
Puppy Program.
Completed
Maintain the cleanliness of the kennel at all times and schedule pressure washing at
least once a year.
Ongoing
Complete the files of dogs within two weeks of turn-in. (Paper and computer)
Files were completed on time following the February turn-in
Development Goals


Meet or exceed regional income goal of $ 1.1M.
Regional income--$151,50014% of goal
Continue to work with the Southeast Regional Board to develop strategies to achieve
the development objectives, including the Making Miracles Happen Model and
Major Gift Solicitation
o Identify current major donors and send a minimum of 3 informational
updates via e-blast during 2009
Major donors are receiving the eblasts from National and invitations to
graduation.
o Research and identify current donors for the purpose of potentially
upgrading their gifts
Ongoing.
o Rate and identify five potential major gift donors
We are currently working with several potential donors.
o Follow-up with lapsed donors
A lapsed donor is planned for the summer and followed by personal contact to
high end lapsed donors that do not respond to the mailing.



o Track and record contacts with prospects and donors
Ongoing through monthly reports and pledgemaker.
o Hold 2 Making Miracles Happen Point of Entry or fundraising breakfast
Target area for South Florida is Boca Raton
2nd Target is Atlanta or Charlotte.
Work in partnership with graduates to prepare and utilize a minimum of six thank
you letters to send to repeat donors
Meet or exceed the foundation goal of $250K.
$35,000 received to date—14 % of goal.
aintain a placement tracking by category for released dogs.
A comprehensive list of Release Dog owners that have received their dog since 2000 has
been compiled and separated into 3 categories. 1) individuals we have not heard from since
the adoption; 2) people who have donated since the adoption; and 3) people that have
adopted within the last year. Goal to engage those we have not heard from since the adoption
and strengthen our relationships with all released dog owners.
Category 1 has received a letter and update form with a 30 % return rate to date.
Category 2 will receive a mailing in May.
Marketing and Public Awareness Goals







Develop catalog of PR materials, pictures & videos for easy accessibility.
Completed
Prepare and submit media releases to feature graduates, puppy raisers, and Board
members to media, associations, and companies from their local communities. Send
a minimum of 2 press releases per month.
Ongoing and updates provided through the monthly reports
Update “how to give presentations” materials to include a training DVD featuring
exemplary graduates and puppy raisers.
Track presentations and record in monthly spreadsheet.
Ongoing
Target a different city/area each month for public relations activities. This will
include contacting the media, distributing press releases and sending information to
key groups and organizations that can help cultivate donors and applicants.
Target for March and April was the Greater Atlanta area prior to the Puppy Raiser
workshop and the Amputee Coalition Conference scheduled for June. 30 PSAs were sent
to various media outlets and press releases and person contacts were made with the
media.
Code regional direct mail pieces and newsletters and develop a “call to action” for
the purpose of measuring their success.
Envelopes are coded for various mailings and activities for tracking purposes.
Additionally, each action item in any material is given a staff person’s contact
information so readers can make a direct contact.
Document key regional activities (i.e., graduations, special events, etc.)
Ongoing


Work in conjunction with program staff to target specific groups to help meet
request for application goals.
Continue to update website regularly and accurately with pertinent information
about the Southeast Region.
Website is updated on a regular basis
Volunteer Development:





Work with the Board to develop projects of interest for the Advisory Council
Identify and Recruit a minimum of one Board or Advisory member from Alabama,
Georgia, Mississippi, or Tennessee.
A new Board member is being recruited from Georgia.
Host an Open House for potential donors, SER Board and Advisory Council
members
Next open house activity will be in the fall.
Contact volunteers to ensure that we have their most current contact information,
update in volunteer database and to inform lapsed volunteers of current needs and
opportunities.
Ongoing
Develop and implement evaluation tools for assessing volunteer support for major
activities such as the Tales & Tails Gala and Making Miracles Happen fundraisers
and presentation. Utilize information obtained to update volunteer job descriptions,
procedures and communication.
Volunteer job descriptions have been developed.
Recruit volunteers for the following:
Clerical and data base tasks
2 volunteers were recruited and trained to assist with clerical tasks. Each of them
volunteers 1 day per week.
Fundraising liaison for each Chapter or volunteer group
Completed and listed on the website.
Administration




Continue efforts to increase the diversity of the Southeast Regional staff through
employment advertisements in minority publications, contacts with minority owned
employment firms and networking with organizations that serve diverse populations.
These efforts have not yielded great success. Recent applicants for the Development position
were all white females.
Best business practices will be utilized to make sure operations are carried out in a
manner that reflects a high standard of stewardship.
This is ongoing. Business practices and contracts are reviewed on a regular basis.
Create an environment that encourages staff to continue to seek skills and personal
development training.
Ongoing and staff training reported to Human Resources.
Provide Resolution training for all employees.

All employees except the most recent hire have completed the training. One skilled is review
and discussed at each staff meeting.
Encourage SER staff to use “Resolution Skills” and create an environment that values
the implementation of those skills.
SER encourages the use by giving staff the opportunity to share how they used a skill. Also
co- workers acknowledge each other through a “thank you” program.
2009 goals 1/12/09
Updated 5/1/09