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Volunteer Now!

Donate to Chenny Troupe

Chenny Troupe is happy to announce that we can now accept donations online! Through our partnership with Network for Good, you can donate any monetary amount to the organization online, with your credit card. To donate to the Chenny Troupe, just click the link below!

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Heeling Hearts is back!

Sponsor one (or more!) of our dogs for just $50 each, and you'll get
 

• a PICTURE of your dog
• TWO LETTERS from your dog, updating you on program activities
• INVITATIONS to program graduations, Chenny Troupe's annual meeting, and more
• TROUPETALK, Chenny Troupe's newsletter

And, if you sponsor us as a gift to someone, we'll be sure to tell the lucky recipient that you are the sponsor, and we'll take care of mailing everything!

Check out our dogs below, and call the office to become a member of Heeling Hearts at 773.404.6467.

Tootsie

On Monday nights, when I see my blue Chenny Troupe vest, I know it's time to go to Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital! After all, for 5 years, I have been helping people reach higher, stretch farther and walk straighter, and a dog remembers these important things.  I am proud to be a part of Chenny Troupe because our teams understand how hard it is to heal after an accident or surgery and how important it is to try and make that hard work a bit more fun. We are so lucky to be ablt to touch so many people's lives, even if it's for just a little while...and we DO make a difference!

 

Sydney

I'm an Australian Shepard-Labrador Retriever mix, which means I am really smart and very devoted to people. I work with children who have problems at home and come to the Rice Center to get the special attention they need to get better. Sometimes the kids are afraid because they had a bad experience with a dog in the past. But they quickly learn that I would never hurt them. They begin to trust me and tell me secrets that I keep for them. Soon the kids begin to trust people a bit more and can talk about the things that upset them. I am so proud that I help these kids believe that they can have love and happiness in their lives.

 

Daisy

At the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the people I work with are recovering from strokes, head trauma, spinal-cord injuries and other terrible accidents. Some of them don't use their voices very well and some have trouble moving their arms. Sometimes, one of the clients will brush me - carefully - because my hair is very curly! The client will have to grasp the brush and move their arm  repetitively. It may seem like an easy task, but it's not if you've had a stroke. Curling your hand around an object to pick it up, hold it and use it can be a real challenge. But once accomplished, they can work with other things that will help them become more independent and get home faster...and I go home looking fabulous - it's a win-win situation for us!

 

Gemma and Kali

We are Doberman Pinschers who live together, play together and work together at Swedish Covenant Hospital. In fact, some people think they are seeing double when we come in! We work with patients who have had an accident or surgery: helping them to regain balance, strength and energy by tirelessly retrieving balls on command. We love to jump through hoops and over hurdles when we play "circus dog". We also try to teach them hand signals to improve range of motion. They are delighted with our stamina and enthusiasm, and we are delighted by their progress, their smiles and their praise!

 

Gracie

I'm a Belgian sheepdog, so I keep a careful watch over the people in my program at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, including my roommate Kobi, who is also a Chenny Troupe dog. Those natural instincts help make me a good therapy dog, but I also have to be obedient, responding to verbal commends and hand signals without hesitation, even if my client speaks in a slurred voice or can't move his arms well. I have to run through tunnels, jump hoops, catch balls and stop and sit on a moment's notice, even if the other dogs are still fetching all around me. I must take treats gently from and injured hand and NEVER jump up onto a client, because the people I work with can be very fragile. It's an important job, but I can handle it!

 

Ria

I'm a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, so I was born to work hard. That's why I love my work at  Somerset Place, helping adults with emotional challenges feel better about themselves, learn new skills and make new friends. It is hard for them to stay focused sometimes, but I follow the residents' commands, doing agility work and practicing special tricks. They are often surprised at how well I listen and respond to them, it encourages them to keep trying. I'm licking my lips just thinking about all the treats I'll get as a reward!

 

Coco Latte

Have you ever heard of an Italian Spinone? It is hard to pronounce, but the little kids at Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital have even bigger challenges. They are autistic; some can’t talk at all, but that doesn’t matter to me. I sit very still while they touch my soft coat or point to my ears or my tail when they are asked by a therapist. I can jump over hurdles, even if I have a little trouble understanding them when they ask, because my human companion gives me a hand signal as a clue (the kids don’t know the clues yet). They try hard to communicate and my tricks are the motivation! You should hear the laughter – it just makes my day!

 

Max

I’m a Cairn terrier, the ONLY terrier in Chenny Troupe. That makes me one of a kind, just like the kids at La Rabida Children’s Hospital. The children have many challenges: some are autistic, others have cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, others were hurt in very serious accidents. But they all have one thing in common: they love to learn and play games, just like me! We play games where we match the picture to the dog, or we work an agility course where I jump hurdles, run through a tunnel, stop on a special spot and do figure eights… but only if they tell me in a loud voice or with a big hand signal. These kids face their challenges with terrier-like determination and the desire to be the best that they can be. I help them by providing the motivation to keep trying. Who could ask for more than that?

 

Tag

I have an incredible new job a Haymarket Center . As a 7 year veteran of Chenny Troupe, I’ve worked in all kinds of programs, but now I work with women who are in a substance abuse recovery program. They are new moms who are at Haymarket to get off drugs and learn to care for themselves and their babies. We help them learn to be patient with us, because, like babies, we don’t always understand what they are asking. We help them control their anger by showing them that if they are calm and gentle with us, we are more likely to do what they want than if they yell or get cross. Our goal is for the women to use those same skills with their children and with other challenges in their live. Know what? They get it and it’s just awesome!

 

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Why do we need donations?

Since we began our work 1991, Chenny Troupe has never charged any client or facility for a program. We are dependent on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations that believe in the value of the human-animal bond as an important element of human health and well being.

Chenny Troupe is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization, and as such, contributions made to Chenny Troupe are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. For a copy of our IRS determination letter, please contact us by phone or e-mail.

Monetary donations are always appreciated. You can send a donation in honor or in memory of a special pet or person, and we will gladly advise the honoree of your generosity. We can even send edible birthday cards to your canine friends! Donations can be directed to:

Chenny Troupe, Inc.
1700 W. Irving Park Rd.
Suite 311
Chicago, IL 60613