Testimonials   Active Rainbow Programs

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Testimonials

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The Rainbow therapy dog teams “work on the children’s IEP goals by incorporating skills into their time together. The gross motor skills of walking, independent sitting, reaching and throwing perfectly align with our goals…. We get all of these benefits and new friends to love. Win, win!”               

Mrs. VandeHey, Special Education Teacher
Gray Sanborn School, Palatine

“This year the dogs and their wonderful caring handlers have been working with our special needs students. I cannot begin to tell you what a wonderful experience this has been. The children look forward to their … visit and have gained wonderful skills on how to behave around the dogs. During their time with the dogs, they are working on their communication and social goals…. It has been a joyous and most enjoyable school year because of what Rainbow has given to our school!”

Anne Jacobson, Speech Pathologist
Washington School, Glenview

“The children were very motivated to be part of every session and practiced turn taking and impulse control through the variety of activities they participated in….”

Bernie Tomaski-Kelly
Fairview South School, Skokie

“The AIME program services students with mild to moderate disabilities.  These children are all challenged by mental impairments. Some students are also visually of physically impaired, while others have language or behavior difficulties…. You and your therapy dogs provided numerous opportunities for the students to develop and demonstrate expressive and receptive language skills, gross motor skills, and social skills. Some of the skills this program reinforced were listening to and following directions, taking turns, asking questions, answering questions, naming or identifying colors, and demonstrating knowledge of prepositions.  They learned many of the rules for staying safe around dogs. You provide a wonderful service…. How lucky we were to have you be part of our program.”

Ellen Robinson, Intermediate AIME teacher
Winston Campus Elementary School, Palatine

“We have seen tremendous benefits to the children. Children who were initially frightened of the dog learned to interact with the animal…. The (handlers) were always patient and reassuring, creating a sense of trust with the children.  They were quick to praise the students…. The children learned to follow directions and were encouraged to talk to give the dog commands. Academic skills were enhanced such as color recognition… The Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy Program is one of the few outside programs brought to our school that is truly appropriate for our students.”

Deirdre Kenney, ECSE Teacher,
Christine Kelly, Primary Special Education Teacher
Susan Lamb, Intermediate Special Education Teacher
Julie Wilkinson, Upper Special Education Teacher
Solomon School, Chicago

Animal assisted therapy dogs…have been very beneficial at our school.  The volunteers from Rainbow have interacted well with a variety of students. We have students who are medically fragile and highly physically challenged as well as students with autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and paraplegia (Sickle cell anemia, post/stroke). The (Rainbow) volunteers tailor the program to the lower level students (cognitively and physically) and adjust up to the higher functioning students.  Students are approached via the idea of start where each child is and build on their strengths. Students at both ends participate to the fullest and the volunteers are excellent at teasing out what works best for each child. Working with the students who are highly physically challenged, the volunteers are very patient, giving the students time to process and then respond. They collaborate well with the staff of occupational and physical therapists to find out what works best with each individual. …. Both the volunteers and the dogs are what we call “bomb proof”; they competently handle some tough behaviors from our higher level students. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in utilizing their services….”

Jennifer Horton, M.S., OTR/L, RYT
Lester and Rosalie Anixter Center,
Stuart G. Ferst School, Chicago

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Active Rainbow Programs

A representative sample of organizations currently using Rainbow services.

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A.E.R.O.
Accolade Adult Day Service
Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Anixter Center-Avondale House
Central DuPage Hospital
Children’s Memorial Hospital-Childlife Center
Children’s Memorial Hospital-Inpatient Psych
Children’s Memorial Hospital-Outpatient Psych
Connections Therapeutic Day School
DuPage Juvenile Detention Center
DuPage SASED
Eisenhower School
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
Have Dreams
Imperial Grove Pavilion
Kirk School
Lane Tech High School
Library Programs: Arlington Heights, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Schiller Park
Lincoln High School
Lincolnway SRA
Little Company of Mary Hospital
Marklund Children’s Homel
Marklund of Mill Creek
Maryville Eisenberg
Michael Reese Hospital
Miseracordia-Marion House
Miseracodia-Connelly House
Morton Grove Schools
New Horizons School
Orland Park
Orosco School
Palatine Schools
Ray Graham Training Center
Riveredge Hospital
Rush University Hospital
S.S.S.R.A.
Seaspar
Seguin Vocational Services
Shriner’s Children’s Hospital
Solomon School
Solomon Schecter School
Spectrum Vocational Services
SPEED (PAL Program)
Stuart G. Ferst School
Taft High School
UIC Hospital-Adolescent Psych
University of Chicago-Corner Children’s Hospital
University of Illinois at Chicago Rehab
Washington School

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Testimonials Active Rainbow Programs