Thanks to you, 2017 has turned out to be a truly wonderful year for Wolf Connection, our pack, and program participants! Wolf Connection was gifted with a program analysis by Claremont Graduate University and the results reinforced what all of us already know... Our Wolf Therapy ® programs work! 

Your gifts, sponsorship, participation and support actually change the lives of at-risk youth. Here is Claremont's summary...

"Participating in Wolf Connection's 8-week program positively impacted  participants. Though initially unsure of what to expect of the wolves, students were captivated by their presence and enjoyed learning from their stories. Loving and supportive staff challenged and encouraged student's growth in many dimensions. Over the course of the program, students connected with each other, learned how to support their teammates, and began to open up and develop a sense of trust. They began to experience and appreciate the natural world all around them, feeling a greater sense of responsibility toward the environment. Students expressed that their time at Wolf Connection helped them to learn who they are as unique individuals, and  how to feel okay with themselves . The Wolf Principles have also stayed with the students, and have helped them begin to change their thoughts and habits for the better . When asked if there was anything else they would like to share about their experience at Wolf Connection, one student earnestly replied:

Thank you for making this second chance a reality for Wolf Connection's program participants. 

After participating in the program, to what extent do students grow in...

Students demonstrate greater self-reflection and note that prior to program participation, they were not truly aware of who they were. They became more trusting and in touch with their emotions. 

Students are interacting more productively with teachers and peers. Students report helping others more often . Participating students bonded as a group. 

Spending time outside was a new experience for student s. They  came to respect wolves and reported feeling closer to the natural world. They now seek out nature experiences.

Students indicate a desire to continue abiding by the Wolf Principles. They report practicing meditative moments of silence on their own time. Many want to return to Wolf Connection to volunteer.

In addition to making the Wolf Principles and meditation as part of their daily routine, loved ones of the participants also notice a difference in behavior: acting calmer, more relaxed, and helping others. One student mentioned he does not go out on the streets anymore, a finding of potentially enormous implications for life trajectory!

With your support, Wolf Connection will continue to provide these life-changing programs for Los Angeles' most at-risk youth in areas with the least family and social services and highest rates of poverty and crime. Wolf Connection is more than a wolf sanctuary; it's a human sanctuary too! Thank you for allowing us to teach the next generation self-sustainability, caring for the environment and each other, and how to be stewards of the earth.