News & Events

On December 7, 1941 service members and civilians lost their lives on the Pearl Harbor Naval Station. Today we honor and remember them, their families and the survivors.

Happy Holidays! It’s that time of the year when we find so much joy and peace and hope. As we celebrate whatever our traditions may be Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Diwali, etc., we experience that child-like faith that everything will be alright.

For many veterans living with PTSD or TBI, these holiday seasons can bring a lot of anxiety and stress. What most of us see as a joyous season with family gatherings and celebrations, for the veteran struggling it can be a trigger of remembering those battle buddies lost during deployment or heighten their sense of loneliness and isolation.

This is why the work we do at Soldier’s Best Friend is so important. A service dog can help relieve those symptoms triggered because of PTSD or TBI. The trusting relationship formed between veteran and dog can truly help a veteran through seasons of anxiety, depression, isolation and loneliness.

So, during this season of giving, won’t you consider making an end of year gift to Soldier’s Best Friend? Your gift will help us provide more veterans living with PTSD or TBI with the tool of a service dog to help them through the toughest seasons of their lives.

Thank you for your support and Happy Holidays from the staff and board at SBF!

Mixed-breed dogs offer genuine companionship as well as several other benefits that could make them a perfect fit for your family.

This #GivingTuesday there are many ways to support our mission of #touching2livesatonce. Here's our Top 5:

1. Donate - From sponsoring a team to sending supplies from our Amazon wish list, there's a way for everyone to donate. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/151GGEUF9T532?ref_=wl_share

2. Foster - Care for one of our dogs in the time between coming out of the shelter and moving into a veteran's home. Learn more at https://soldiersbestfriend.org/how-to-help/foster.html

3. Volunteer - Our volunteers do everything from administrative tasks to lending a hand at events. Let us put you to work! Learn more at https://soldiersbestfriend.org/how-to-help/volunteer.html

4. Share - Forward our newsletter to your friends and share our posts on social media to spread the word about Soldier's Best Friend.

5. Subscribe - Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter at https://soldiersbestfriend.org/news-events/mailing-list.html

From our SBF family to yours, we wish you a peaceful day filled with family, football and great food. Happy Thanksgiving!

Positivity is something you may not always possess, but there are ways to bring it into your life. Surround yourself with positive people, and remind yourself of the positive things in your life and the positive qualities you have.

On November 30, support your local businesses and discover hidden gems in your town.

On this day we celebrate the women and men who have bravely served our nation and fought for our freedoms. Today, and everyday, we thank all veterans for their service, strength and sacrifice.

Have you thought about how you will express your appreciation for veterans this Friday? If you need some ideas, here are 8 ways to say thank you to veterans on Veterans Day.

When times are hard, it’s important to move forward and do what you can for others. Above all, open yourself up to listen and try to better understand the situation from your friend or loved one’s perspective.

November is a wonderful time to recognize your blessings and give thanks for them.

Autumn’s beautiful weather and fun holidays make it easy to find volunteering opportunities in your area. We’ve come up with a few ideas to get you started.

Although there are a ton of heavy issues going on in the world today, nonprofit organizations are a bright spot in the world, helping to provide relief and aid to a variety of important causes.

Since the weather is cooling down, you can add a little sunshine and warmth to a stranger with these simple ideas.

The impacts dogs have on our mental and physical well-being is fascinating! We recommend checking out the article by clicking the link above.

Today we celebrate the United States Navy's 247th birthday! On this day we recognize & honor the brave men & women - past & present - who have served our country.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day, which aims to raise awareness for mental health issues and support efforts. Consider celebrating this day by:

- Checking on someone you care about who has been struggling. Offer to help them with a task that is difficult for them (cooking, cleaning, etc.) or offer to just be there for them and listen to them.
- Volunteer your time at a local crisis center.
- Donate to an organization in your community.
- Educate yourself on mental illnesses! There are many resources available.
- Practice self-care.

Stumped on creative inspiration? We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of Halloween fundraising ideas for your favorite nonprofit.

There are plenty of ways you can support fair-trade producers and organizations. Here's a list to give you some inspiration on how to incorporate the fair-trade movement into your life.

Journaling can not only improve your personal life, but it can also improve your altruistic focus. As it turns out, regular writing in a journal has a lot of surprising mental and emotional health benefits.

SBF trains psychiatric service dogs for combat-veterans who often express having suicidal ideations before coming into the program. Studies have found that when matched with a service dog, veterans living with PTSD do better with their emotional well-being and overall mental health in addition to experiencing reduced symptoms of PTSD.

A service dog might not be the solution for everyone, but if you are having suicidal thoughts and need help, please reach out. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available to everyone by calling or texting 988.

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Whether you choose to volunteer your time, get involved in the community or even commit time to strengthening your relationships, living an altruistic life provides many ways to impact others around you. 

We honor and remember the lives lost, the sorrow we felt and the strength of a nation coming together. We will never forget.

Showing a little encouragement is an easy way to make someone’s day, and we’ve come up with a few ideas on how you can do so.

We hope you have a happy and safe Labor Day!

September is National Suicide Prevention Month which means spreading awareness about this often stigmatized, and taboo subject. The goal is to ensure individuals, friends and families have the resources they need to seek help.

For service members and veterans in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is there to help by dialing 988 then Press 1. You can also text 838255 to connect with a VA responder.

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Life has been hard lately on us all, but September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. It’s a month dedicated to checking in with yourself, being kind to your inner monologue and truly making sure you get what you need to fill up your cup.

Take some time this week to think of a way that you can make a difference in the lives of others and go do it!

Good Works Grant Writing is elated to congratulate our client, Soldier’s Best Friend (SBF), for being awarded a $150,000 Wounded Warrior Service Dog Program (WWSPD) grant from the Uniformed Services University. WWSDP funding will support SBF’s 2022-23 Service/Therapeutic Companion Dog Training Program for 20 Arizona military veterans who are living with the disabilities of combat-related Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Participating veterans work with SBF’s professional trainers until their matched canine qualifies for service or therapeutic companion dog status – a process that takes a minimum of six months. By reducing PTS/TBI symptoms, SBF provides veterans a path to regain a sense of security, productivity, and self-sufficiency.

Taking the first step to volunteer or get involved with an organization is hard, but these steps can help you dive in!

Back-to-school time can be a learning experience for everybody, even if you don’t have school aged children. It’s a time to remember that no matter where you are in life, you can continue to learn!

Soldier's Best Friend is now an Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization (QCO)! This means you will receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your AZ state return, up to $400 for individuals and $800 when filing jointly. Just use QCO code 22497.

When you open yourself up to actively listening, you’ll be surprised at how much you gain in return. Check out these tips to implement active listening into your lifestyle, as well as what you can take away in return!

Don’t wait until it’s too late to focus on your wellness. How you feel trickles into your everyday life, which is why it’s important for you to put your physical and mental health and wellbeing first.

Just because it’s the middle of the year doesn’t mean it’s too late to set and achieve big things yet this year. While reevaluating your existing goals, throw in some hard-to-reach newer goals and set your sights high.

Wishing you a safe and fun 4th of July!

Many of us fail to follow through on creating a new habit that truly sticks. However, If you’re looking for a way to build a habit that lasts, there are some tried-and-true steps you can take to succeed!

Summer is the perfect time to show your kids that giving back can be fun. Choose an organization that has a shared interest among your family and ask about volunteer opportunities.

All work and no giving back makes for a dull workplace! Talk to your employer about already existing programs such as matching gifts or time off to volunteer.

June is the first official month of summer, which makes it the perfect opportunity to celebrate the great outdoors!

Join us this Memorial Day as we honor our fallen heroes who gave their lives for our country. We have the deepest gratitude and appreciation for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The upcoming Memorial Day holiday is all about honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. This is the perfect holiday to exercise taking a day “on” instead of a day off.

Armed Forces Day is a time for people to come together to thank the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Armed Forces Day is a single day joint celebration of all five branches of the U.S. military: the Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps and the Air Force. This day honors all people currently serving.

SBF in the news! Did you catch us on FOX 10 Phoenix Arizona Morning? If you missed it, click above to watch.

When you feel good, you’re more likely to do good in the world and at work. Make sure you’re able to set boundaries to help improve your work-from-home life.

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness. Nearly 1 in 5 adults in any given year suffer from mental illness, but only 40% receive treatment. Navigating life with a mental health condition can be difficult, and can include isolation, blame and secrecy. Learning how to cope is important. Hospitals and health systems play an important role in providing behavioral health care and helping patients find resources available in their community.

If you or someone you know needs help, do not hesitate to reach out to a local healthcare provider for recommendations.

Our words are powerful and should be handled with respect. Because they can impact others, choose yours wisely with these helpful tips.

In order to preserve our beautiful planet, it’s going to take work from everybody. Encourage your family and friends to join you so that we can preserve the place we call home!

We recently introduced you to Hadley Gray. She is the amazing 7th grader behind the fundraiser "Duel on the Diamond" in support of SBF. Hadley has released tickets for purchase by clicking the link above.

We hope to see you out there!

Exciting things are afoot at Soldier's Best Friend! Please read our press release to find out our latest update.