News about 4 Paws for Justin!

With the many generous donations we have been blessed with, we are going to be starting a foundation to help special needs families!  Our first mission is to help Alex, a little boy, also adopted from the foster care system get the service dog he needs and his family is struggling with the fund raising process.

Alex needs a lot of help paying for his dog and will need his trip covered as well...therefore, if you are on here reading to help Justin, thank you so much, Justin has everything he needs thanks to you!  Please consider helping Alex! 

Aleken Toler

Hello, we are the Atwell Family. We are writing this due to the new person who joined our family on December 19, 2007. Alex was born drug addicted, this includes: Oxycodone, Heroin, and barbiturates. He went through various counts of drug withdrawals for months. His birth parents weren't interested in his state of well-being, so he was placed with us at 10 days old.
As time went on, we started to notice changes in behavior, social, and communication problems. He would spin his toys round and round, along with himself. His temper tantrums started to increase, and he wouldn't watch anything but Winnie the Pooh.
We took Alex to numerous doctors before we finally had an official diagnosis. He has Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder, along with Profound Deafness, Pica, and Insomnia. Genetic testing was done, and proved Alex had no genes of Autism and drugs were the main reason for his problems. He received help from Birth to Three, Huntington Autistic Center, and Ski-Hi.
These programs were to help Alex communicate with us. He is currently three years old, and these problems still remain. Alex's problems have progressed. We can't take him to the store, without a fight. He loves to go along for the ride, just not the destination. Someone has to sit with him in the vehicle, while the other person goes and purchase what our family needs. When Alex has a doctor appointment, we are to be seated in our car until they are ready for him, because his behavior problems mean we can't sit in the waiting room.
A tracking bracelet was put on him simply due to running away from us, and because of other safety reasons. It takes four people to change his diaper, because he isn't potty trained, and he kicks and screams. Last, but not least, Alex can't communicate or play with other children.
We heard about 4 Paws For Ability and their Autism Assistance Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Alex would be beneficial to him, and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Alex. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help.
If you can help us, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Alex's name on the memo line to:

4 Paws for Ability
In Honor of Aleken Toler
253 Dayton Ave.
Xenia, Ohio 45385

All proceeds are greatly appreciated, as well as tax-deductible.

Thank you and God bless. The Atwell Family


Thank you for your generousity!  Now, let's help Alex get his dog!!!

Here is his donation link:

http://www.4pawsforability.org/dream.html#AlekenToler



The Truett Family

We are getting the help Justin needs!

Hi Everyone!

Just a few exciting updates!!!

~ A very generous family has stepped up to cover the travel expenses for the trip to Ohio and getting the dog back, as well as, the hotel fees!

~ We have gotten a number of donations from Channel 12 viewers to help with all the dogs expenses!

~The Arizona Diamondbacks President saw the news and Tim was wearing a D-back shirt in the professional photo of us...it was only on there a split second!!!  Go Tim!  They are donating money plus season tickets for all 7 of us!!!

~And finally, we did get OFFICIAL confirmation that we are in September's Training Class!  It will be here before we know it...for now, we get to sit and stare at all the dogs in training, wondering who will be the newest adoption to our family!  You can check out the dogs in training too at:  www.4pawsdogs.org/in_training.htm

~Our dog will be hypoallergenic, so it will be either a Labradoodle or a Goldendoodle and there are about a dozen or so on there training!!!

We won't know our match until the beginning of September, but if you want to make a guess, check out the dogs on the website and put the name in the comments below of who you think will be matched with Justin :-)...disclaimer...4 Paws does not ALWAYS have every dog in training on the web site...so our angel might not even be on there...but it sure if fun to guess and look.  I won't tell you who my guess is, I don't want to sway you...

We have had a really challenging five years and have tried to stay positive through all of it...we are being blessed over and over and thank God for all that he is doing for us and thank you for your support and love, we couldn't have done any of this for Justin without you!

Love,

Desiree Truett

WE DID IT!!!

With the help of literally HUNDREDS of people, we were able to raise $13,140 in just 4 months for our miracle, Justin Truett!  That means, we are getting Justin his dog!  (Pictured right, is not Justin's actual dog, but is like the kind of dog he will be getting.  He will be matched with either a Labradoodle or a Goldendoodle).  These are labs bred with poodles or golden retrievers bred with poodles to help allergy sufferers.

We will continue our fund raising efforts to help pay for the flight to Ohio, the two week stay, flying our new best friend back, and getting all the supplies we need for him or her!!!

Justin's story will be featured on Channel 12's Hero Central, this Tuesday night, Feb 8th at 10pm.  

If you wanted to donate but didn't get the chance, please consider sending a donation through Paypal to "desireetruett@gmail.com" and put in comments "Justin's Travel Fund" or use the really cool "Donate" button at the top of this page.  You may also email me if you'd like to send a check by mail and I will provide the address.  Donations made for travel expenses are NOT tax deductible, but we greatly appreciate the help.  We will need approximately $7,000 for plane tickets, lodging, and getting Justin's dog back (I love the sound of that!).

Thank you again for everyone who shared Justin's story, donated, forwarded emails, volunteered...WE DID IT because of you!

With so much love and gratitude,

The Truett Family

We are almost there! We only need $1500!

Here is what's going on with 4 Paws for Justin:

Justin is going to be doing an interview using his communication device through Skype with a small school in Vermont who raised funds for his dog this Friday!

Members of our church are having a benefit concert on Feb 4th in Mesa...

We are making donation jars to have at local businesses...

Our Channel 12 Hero Central segment got moved to February to a higher viewing time slot, woo hoo...

We are applying for grants and wish programs trying to get travel expenses covered...

Waypoint Church is planning a "Poker Night" sometime in March...

The slots are filling up fast in Ohio for the dog training times, we missed the August slots, however, there are two spots left for September.  Whoever gets the funding in first, gets the slots!  Please pray that if Justin's perfect new best friend is ready that we will get into one of those two spots :-).

Thank you to everyone who has donated!  At this point, $5 - $20 donations are going to make all the difference in the world.  We are overwhelmed with your generosity and love!

Please email me if you have questions or want to help at:  "desireetruett@gmail.com"