Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

---

Organization Name: Retrieving Freedom, Inc.
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As: RFI
Mailing Address: 20360 Tangle Nook Road
City: Sedalia
State: MO
Postal Code: 65301
Main Phone: (660) 586-2055
Main Fax:
Organization Website: retrievingfreedom.org
Employer ID Number: 45-3282513
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3)

Proposal Information

---

Today’s Date: 03/26/2024
Requested Amount: $10,000

Project Title: Service Dog for a Child with Autism
Project Description:

RFI breeds, trains, and provides Service Dogs for children with autism at no cost to the recipients. In the last eleven years, we have changed the lives of over 50 children with autism by providing them with a dog trained specifically for their needs.

An RFI Service Dog helps keep a child with autism safe in public settings and minimizes or eliminates emotional outbursts. In many cases, the Service Dog accompanies the child to school, helping them transition between activities and locations.

Training Service Dogs is a time and resource intensive activity – it takes around two years and more than $40,000 to train a single dog. The $10,000 grant from the Hermanowski Family Foundation will cover final placement expenses for matching a child with autism with an RFI Service Dog. This includes support for the third and final stage of Service Dog training, when RFI trainers work with clients and their families to find the right Service Dog match and train the dog for client-specific tasks.

RFI is committed to creating a positive client experience and matching children with a dog that best serves their needs. We provide 100+ hours of training and support to each client, including one-on-one pre-placement and post-placement support that is scheduled to accommodate their availability. Training takes place at RFI facilities and at the client’s home to ensure the success of the Service Dog placement. Many of the training sessions at RFI facilities span multiple days and children and their caretakes typically stay on-site in RFI provided lodging.

Following the placement, RFI provides monthly check-ins for the first year of the placement, a 90-day post-placement assessment for the Service Dog, and annual wellness and training assessments for the Service Dog until the Service Dog retires to life as a pet.

Total Project Budget: $10,000

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): RFI relies on the generosity of the community to achieve its mission and has diverse funding sources. Approximately one-half of funding is received from foundations and one-half is received from private donors (individuals and corporations). This is an independent request to support a Service Dog placement. RFI does not currently have government funding.

Project Duration: One year (maximum time to identify and place a Service Dog match with a child with autism)
Geographical Area Served: RFI serves clients throughout the United States.
Age Group To Be Served: Children with autism aged 5 to 12 at the time of the Service Dog placement.

Contact Information

---

Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Heather
Contact Last Name: Dawson
Contact Title: Chief Financial Officer
Contact Phone: (660) 586-2055
Contact Email: heather@retrievingfreedom.org