named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Autism Service Dog Program
Trains and places autism service dogs with children aged 5 to 11 to prevent wandering, provide companionship, and support independence. Includes five days of required parent training and ongoing follow-up support.
Paws to Learn Program
Service dogs in training visit schools and programs for children with autism and developmental disabilities to practice skills and provide calming sensory interactions.
Puppy Yoga
Fundraising event combining yoga and interaction with service dog puppies, led by board member Neva Goldstein.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Animal-Assisted Support Services 3 activities
- Deliver Paws to Learn program in schools and facilitiesOperates the Paws to Learn Program, in which service dogs in training visit schools, camps, and residential/day-habilitation settings to support social engagement, emotional regulation, and physical activity for over 2,000 individuals annually.
- Place facility therapy dogs in educational and residential settingsPlaces facility therapy dogs in schools, residential homes, and day-habilitation programs to enhance therapy outcomes and reduce anxiety, providing initial handler training, placement guidance, and ongoing consultation.
- Provide autism service dogs to families at no costProvides autism service dogs trained to prevent wandering and support safety for children with autism, offering them free of charge to families. Each dog represents over $40,000 in training costs and includes comprehensive parent training and ongoing support.
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Animal Rescue Volunteer Coordination 2 activities
- Host public engagement and fundraising eventsOrganizes and teaches public events such as Puppy Yoga and Yoga with Puppies to engage the community, share the organization’s mission, and raise funds.
- Operate volunteer puppy raising and fostering programsEngages volunteers to raise, socialize, and foster puppies and brood dogs through home-based programs, including short-term weekend fostering, puppy socialization, and care for litters. Volunteers also support transportation and long-term puppy rearing for approximately 16 months.
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Fundraising for Community and Charitable Initiatives 1 activity
- Generate program revenue through fee-based community programsGenerates revenue through fee-based programs such as workplace wellness visits and Paws to Learn events to support the provision of free service dogs to autism families.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Operate ambassador program for public educationRuns an ambassador program to educate the public about autism service dogs and the organization’s mission.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Develop and maintain permanent campus for operationsOperates a permanent campus in Carmel, NY, with purpose-built kennels, training spaces, and staff housing to support 24/7 canine care and community programming, currently undergoing ongoing renovations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.70M
Contributions & grants$1.50M88%
Program service revenue$85K5%
Investment income$128K8%
Other revenue$-16K
expenses
Total expenses$1.29M
Program expenses75%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$878K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.73M
Cash$3.26M
Investments$304K
Liabilities$38K
Net assets$3.69M
Liquid reserves33.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +28.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE BRIER | CEO | 55 | $157K |
| CAROLINE MCCABE-SANDLER | VP - CANINE | 45 | $150K |
board members · 9
- JEFFREY MOORE — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN NETTELFIELD — DIRECTOR
- JULIA LANCIAN — TREASURER
- KAREN KIRBY — DIRECTOR
- LINDA HOGAN — DIRECTOR
- MAURA SMITH — DIRECTOR
- NEVA GOLDSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- STEPHEN SPRAGUE — DIRECTOR
- TRICIA ZARRO — CHAIRMAN
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Anderson Center for Autism Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Ascend Autism Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Assistance Dogs International Network — Recommends Assistance Dogs International as a resource for information on other types of service dogs.
- Charles Blowe Partner — Individual donor who supports BluePath Service Dogs through a donor advised fund.
- Community Based Services Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Dobbs Ferry School District Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Every.org Partner — Partner for accepting cryptocurrency donations.
- Griswold Elementary School Partner — Hosts a BluePath facility therapy dog and collaborates with the organization in a therapy dog program.
- Guiding Eyes for the Blind Partner — Professional affiliation through prior leadership role; connection via co-founder Michelle Brier's prior work.
- Instagram Partner — Platform used for public engagement and outreach
- Internal Revenue Service Government — Recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the Internal Revenue Code
- Irvington School District Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Port Chester School District Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Ramapo for Children Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Regeneron Partner — Hosted BluePath service dogs in training for workplace wellness visits.
- Rye City School District Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Southern Westchester BOCES Partner — Receives Paws to Learn programming in Dutchess, Putnam, or Westchester Counties.
- Walkathon Partner — Primary event for volunteer engagement and organizational outreach
- partner organizations Partner — Collaborates with partner organizations to source purpose-bred service dogs for training and placement.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Autism Service Dogs for Safety and Independencemethodology: safety_and_companionship_modelBy providing expertly trained autism service dogs, we enhance child safety (particularly through bolting prevention), emotional regulation, and social engagement, because the dog serves as both a physical tether and a calming companion, enabling greater independence for children and reduced caregiver stress.
- Individualized Family-Centered Matching and Trainingmethodology: individualized_family_matchingBy customizing service dog training to the specific needs of each child and family, we improve integration and long-term success, because the dog is behaviorally and emotionally attuned to the unique routines, challenges, and goals of the household.
- Mutual-Benefit Socialization Trainingmethodology: mutual_benefit_socialization_trainingBy integrating service dogs in training into schools and community programs, we simultaneously advance the dogs’ public readiness and deliver sensory and emotional benefits to individuals with autism, because reciprocal interactions in authentic settings build canine resilience and human connection.
- Purpose-Bred and Temperament-Selected Dogsmethodology: purpose_bred_selectionBy breeding or selecting dogs with superior health and stable temperaments, we increase the likelihood of successful service dog placement, because genetic and behavioral predispositions directly influence trainability and resilience in high-sensory environments.
- Volunteer-Based Puppy Raising and Early Socializationmethodology: volunteer_puppy_raisingBy engaging volunteers to raise and socialize puppies in home environments, we build foundational obedience and adaptability in future service dogs, because immersive family living exposes puppies to diverse stimuli and routines critical for later success in complex home settings.