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You can help children and young people to get the best start in life by re-engaging with education, with a gift that will be tripled.

Paws4Kids supports our Paw Pals education program, using therapy dogs to support kids who’ve experienced abuse, neglect or other childhood trauma to heal and learn again.

To keep this essential program going, and to help many more vulnerable children, we need your help! This program is 100% community funded and relies on generous donors, people just like you. And, if you donate to Paws4Kids, you can have triple the impact. We're humbled by the support we've received to date, reaching our goal of $330,000 - this will allow us to grow our program in Melbourne and Geelong, and expand to Ballarat!

We've increased our goal! Our generous partners are continuing to triple donations until we reach our stretch target goal of $400,000. Additional funds will allow us to hire more staff, train more dogs and reach more kids.

Click here to learn more or donate now

With Lucy, it really helps me feel calm being around her, and really helps me learn some strategies how to stay calm. Lucy just makes it a lot easier.

– Amber
View video transcript

Paws4Kids competitions

Get involved with Paws4Kids through one of our fun competitions! For more information on our colouring and photo competition, view the terms and conditions below.

Photo competition Colour Me competition

Thank you to our generous supporters

We are grateful to the following supporters, whose generous support is enabling your donation to be tripled on 28 April 2022:

  • PETstock Assist
  • Catholic Development Fund
  • Gaudry Foundation
  • Integrated Therapeutic Care
  • KLC Recruitment
  • Polished Man
  • Queensland Community Foundation’s Gordon Home for Boys and Girls Inc. Trust Fund
  • Our PawPrints Matching Circle - including Greg Noonan and Angela Rutherford.

There are so many more children who would benefit from a therapy dog to open doors — helping them to connect with their community and new opportunities. If you’d like to be part of our next Paws4Kids campaign to extend the Paw Pals program, contact our Director of Community Engagement - Sam Patterson - on 03 9257 2350.

We’re also grateful to our ambassadors who are helping promote Paws4Kids, including:

Happy Smiling Laughing Caucasian Business Woman Working On Laptop Computer From Home Office T20 P Rqwo W

Our ambassadors

We are incredibly grateful to our ambassadors for their time and support, and helping us raise awareness for Paws4Kids.

Meet our ambassadors
Lara Shannon Profile Picture

Lara Shannon

"Education provides children with hope and opportunity. This program is providing those that need it most the chance to re-engage with school and complete their education, which is something many people take for granted."

"Donating to this initiative helps those that may feel the world has forgotten about them know that people do care."

Meet Lara
Sam Docherty Profile Picture

Sam Docherty

"One of the joys of playing in the AFL is the ability to use my influence to help people. I’m proud to be an Ambassador for MacKillop Family Services’ Paws4Kids so that I can make a positive difference for vulnerable children.

Donating to Paws4Kids will allow more vulnerable children to get a better start and opportunity at an amazing life."

Meet Sam

Stories from the young people we

Support

Zara The Puppy Sitting On Park Bench With Abby

Zara the puppy brings out the best in young people

Getting a puppy was no spur of the moment decision; it was something Abby planned for and looked forward to for a long time. When she brought Zara, a gregarious Golden Retriever, home – and then into work – she had no idea the positive impact it would have on the young people she works with.

Read story
Students At Bittersweet Cafe Sitting Around Cafe Table

Bitter Sweet Café hits the sweet spot for VCAL students

The tuckshop or canteen is a key feature at most schools, but very few have their own café. MacKillop’s specialist school in Geelong went a step further, opening their very own student-run endeavour, the Bitter Sweet Café.

Read story
Joanne Holding Dogs Paw

Learning through teaching

Laura* didn’t expect to be teaching a dog to heel as part of her residential care education program. But now as she looks back, she’s even more surprised about what a dog has been able to teach her.

Read Laura's story

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