Unleashing Opportunities for Youth and Animals in the City of Philadelphia
Hand2Paw provides paid internships working with rescue animals as a way to strengthen connection, compassion, and community for young adults from underrepresented communities, including those experiencing housing insecurity or foster care involvement.
Our Mission
Hand2Paw provides paid internships working with rescue animals as a way to strengthen connection, compassion, and community for young adults from marginalized communities including those experiencing housing insecurity or foster care involvement.
Supporting Youth Through Work With Animals
Hand2Paw supports young adults to develop socio-emotional and career readiness skills as they take an active role in building a compassionate community in their neighborhood. H2P accomplishes these goals by providing paid internships working with homeless animals. We offer a curriculum of programming that helps enhance coping skills, emotional regulation, and healing using animal-assisted interventions. Our programs focus on building conflict resolution, financial literacy, self-esteem, and job preparedness skills.
Hand2Paw is the only nonprofit in Philadelphia whose mission is to teach youth practical work skills in a trauma-informed animal welfare setting.
Since 2014
Hear from Our Interns
“[Hand2Paw] is a meeting space of healing and aiding the transitional periods of animals and those of humans, particularly youth. Hand2Paw provides an alternative to stressful shelters where animals and adopters aren’t moved by pity but rather compassion!”
“I view this program as different because I could feel the compassion and the genuine care for my success.”
“I thought that it helped that I was never quit on, I was always pushed to do more and that mentality that I always have to do more helped me in life.”
“I feel I have more confidence because I have maintained two jobs since being with Hand2Paw.”
Our Values
Compassion
Animal-assisted interventions allow for youth to further develop empathy and enhance their capacity to live with compassion and integrity. Through our programs, participants acquire the knowledge and tools to put their values into action in meaningful ways.
Connection
We believe connection is at the heart of animal-assisted interventions. As young people build connections with animals, they are better able to connect with themselves, their peers and the community.
Community
Community is created when we collaborate with young people in achieving their goals. Providing others with needed resources and creating neighborhood connections that support people and animals alike is what drives kind communities.
Life of Riley at Spring Point Impact Partner
Proud recipient of a Aging Out Institute Award
Featured on NBC Philadelphia
Proud recipient of a GSK IMPACT Award
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