Story by Bonnie Craig, Photos Courtesy of Gabriel’s Angels
For many of us it is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since Y2K, but on the other hand, it may seem like a lifetime ago, the world changing so much along the way. Regardless, an amazing non-profit organization called Gabriel’s Angels has not only endured through these changes, but is arguably better than ever.
In the year 2000 Pam Gaber and her Weimaraner puppy, Gabriel, a therapy dog, paid a visit to the Child Crisis Nursery. After seeing the profound connections he made with the kids there, Pam was moved to form an organization that could serve a greater swath of Arizona youth. Today, the therapy dogs of what became Gabriel’s Angels continue to help children in schools, shelters, and other youth-serving organizations strengthen their abilities to regulate their emotions, form healthy relationships, and treat others with kindness and respect.
Gabriel’s Angels stands out among therapy animal organizations in that they are very intentional about the ways in which they utilize the dogs. This is done predominantly by following the guidelines of their two main programs. One of these is Animals, Books, and Children (ABC), and as the name suggests, it is focused on promoting literacy by allowing children to read to the therapy dogs in a one-on-one setting. As any dog lover knows, the lack of judgement and abundance of unconditional love they share allows us to be vulnerable in ways that aren’t always as easy with other people. In this way, the children can gain confidence and eliminate some of the psychological barriers and anxieties that many face while learning to read.
Paws for Resilience is their other main program. This is a more behavior based initiative where the focus is social emotional learning. Interactions with the therapy dogs under these circumstances help children to strengthen their coping and emotional regulation skills. These interactions are guided by organization volunteers, creating a safe space for all, in which the kids can work on self-awareness, stress management, and resilience, leading to healthier relationships and better overall emotional wellbeing.
Gabriel’s Angels also makes special visits to various sites, providing support for anything from test anxiety to high stress incidents, and generally promoting mental health on a shorter term basis. As with all of their programs and services, these are always free of charge.
Currently, Gabriel’s Angels serves 106 sites, and is powered by 139 human volunteers. 115 of these volunteers work with their dogs as pet therapy teams and the other 24 help lead activities in the Paws for Resilience group program. The impact of their work is felt keenly by those they serve, inspiring one child to write poetry for a therapy dog, York. Another dog, upon his retirement was sent multiple letters from children including such sweet sentiments as, “I love you, Socks, to the moon.” On one of his hard days, a child living with Leukemia said that he only came to school because he knew he would get to read with a dog. These are just a few drops in the ocean of good Gabriel’s Angels has done and will continue to do for these kids.
In 2024, they came up with a 10-year strategic vision, with the goals of financial sustainability, measurable program excellence, advocating for pet therapy, and impact beyond direct service, many of which are already being realized. Ultimately this means reaching more youth in need, and making long term impacts which can create a butterfly effect and go on to branch off and grow to effect more positive change in the world at large. In the words of Gabriel’s Angels CEO, Melissa Steimer, “…as long as I can remember, both my personal and professional life have lived at the intersection of caring for vulnerable youth and animal welfare. Looking ahead, my vision for the next 25 years for this organization is bold but simple: that no child who needs our support ever goes without it.”
These words and sentiments reinforce the fact of the organization’s stellar leadership, and show how crucial it is that organizations like Gabriel’s Angles can continue. As a non-profit offering completely free services, they rely on financial support from the community. There is a growing waitlist for services from Gabriel’s Angels, so more volunteers are always needed to help expand their reach. Anyone interested can learn more at gabrielsangels.org/volunteer.
Of course no quadranscentennial celebration would be complete without a party; festivities are planned for both metro areas served by Gabriel’s Angels. In Phoenix, A Night of PAWSibilities gala will be happening on November 15th at the Arizona Biltmore, and in Tucson they will be hosting their Unleash the Love happy hour at St. Philips Plaza on October 9th. To get your tickets, check out their events page at gabrielsangels.org/events/.
In the current world full of so much discord, anxiety, and unkindness, organizations like Gabriel’s Angels are a real light in the darkness. Much respect and love to this amazing organization, congratulations on 25 years of success and service, and here’s to another 25 years and beyond!
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