Progress House awarded service dog
Progress House, Indiana’s oldest and largest recovery residence, has become the first such facility in the U.S. to be awarded a service dog through the American Warrior Initiative.
The as-yet unnamed dog will undergo specialized training for the next few months and then be permanently assigned. Progress House was selected after a competitive process by the American Warrior Initiative sponsored by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation.
“Service dogs have a proven track record of decreasing anxiety and stress among people who suffered trauma, including those with substance use disorder,” said Darrell Mitchell, Vice President of Recovery Communities for Aspire Indiana Health and Executive Director of Progress House.
“We are incredibly honored and thankful to be recognized with this generous award. All of the staff and residents at Progress can’t wait to meet their dog and welcome them to our family!”
American Warrior Initiative is the philanthropic arm of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. Its objective is to educate, encourage and inspire Americans to give back to our military, first-responders, their families and our communities. AWI’s mission is to save lives, heal invisible wounds, while inspiring and educating others.
Rock Planck, a retirement mortgage specialist with Fairway, raised a large portion of the funds for the purchase and training of the dog through his 2,200-mile cross-country motorcycle ride as part of the Ruff Rider fundraising program of the American Warrior Initiative.
Donating service/therapy Dogs is just one of the ways AWI gives back to others. As of September 2023, AWI has placed more than 335 service dogs into the lives and hearts of veterans.
Progress House was selected for its 60+ year legacy of helping men on their sobriety journey, including many military veterans.
