Pictured above: Community Foundation Staff stand alongside Clear Path for Veterans staff in front of the new van during a visit to our office.
For many veterans, the journey from military to civilian life can be complicated by challenges like securing employment, accessing healthcare, or coping with trauma. Clear Path for Veterans (Clear Path) was founded to walk alongside them, offering connection, belonging and strength through its accredited Canine Program, career services and peer mentoring.
A central piece of this work is the organization’s canine program, which pairs highly trained service dogs with veterans experiencing trauma such as PTS, traumatic brain injury (TBI) or military sexual trauma (MST). These dogs provide both physical and emotional support — helping veterans feel safe in public, easing hypervigilance and offering unconditional loyalty. But until recently, Clear Path faced a significant obstacle: the lack of safe, reliable transportation for its dogs. Without proper vehicles, it was difficult to meet the growing demand for canine services.
We provided a $50,000 Community Grant to Clear Path to purchase and customize its new Canine Mobile Unit van. The vehicle is fully equipped with safety features such as crash-tested kennels, temperature monitoring systems with alerts, custom storage, rear A/C and spray foam insulation — all designed to ensure the health, safety and comfort of the dogs during transport.
The new unit allows Clear Path to safely bring service dogs to veterinary appointments, community outings and the final stages of training alongside their veteran partners. These improvements expand the program’s capacity for years to come, ensuring more veterans can graduate with the service dogs they need.
“This support was a lifesaver for us,” said Adam Leslie, assistant director of operations. “By expanding our canine program with reliable transportation, we can ensure healthier dogs, safer travel and more successful service dog placements. In turn, more veterans will have access to our evidence-based, life-changing program.”
Systemic challenges — including long wait times for benefits, limited access to mental health services and the stigma surrounding trauma — too often prevent veterans from receiving the care they deserve. By addressing practical limitations such as transportation, Clear Path is making it possible for more veterans and their families to access timely, culturally responsive support that meets them where they are.
Sarah Clark, events and marketing manager, explained why this matters: “Veterans living with trauma may constantly feel on edge or in a state of hypervigilance. Our canine program, and now this new mobile unit, gives them the tools to feel safer, build trust and re-engage in their communities.”
Since its inception, Clear Path’s Canine Program has improved the lives of more than 100 veterans and their families. Each year, the organization engages more than 2,200 veterans, service members and military-connected families, delivering over 10,000 acts of service. With the new Canine Mobile Unit, Clear Path is expanding its reach and strengthening its ability to deliver life-changing care — ensuring more veterans have the resources, connection and resilience they need to thrive in our community.
