Helping Hands Simian Aides for The

“Review of return by chairperson, treasurer and president before filing.”

“Review information on a yearly basis”

“Compensation approved by board of directors.”

“Compensation approved by board of directors.”

“UPON REQUEST, GUIDESTAR.”

“Helping hands: monkey helpers is a non-profit human services organization that helps adults with spinal cord injuries and other mobility impairments live more independent and engaged lives by providing them with a highly trained capuchin monkey to help with their daily, in-home tasks. The only organization of its kind, helping hands breeds, raises, and professionally trains these special service animals, carefully matching them with appropriate recipients across the nation, and provides active support and care for the duration of each placement. Since 1979, helping hands has raised funds to support these tax- exempt activities, so that it can provide monkey helpers to individuals in need across the country without charge to the recipients. Helping hands also offers a youth education program that teaches children about spinal cord injury, injury prevention, disability awareness, and the human animal bond.”

“A helping hands service monkey. During the placement week, our placement team focuses on helping a recipient bond with his or her new monkey helper. They also conduct additional training to customize the monkey's skills to the recipient's specific needs and environment. Our staff teaches the recipient and his or her family and other caregivers about how to care for their new service animal, and about the monkey's behavioral, health, and diet needs. All modified equipment and additional supplies needed to provide for the monkey's housing and care, is given by helping hands at no charge to the recipient. During the first year of a new placement helping hands staff advisors carefully monitor progress and provide instruction to ensure the long-term success of each relationship.”

“Skills. Training is customized to each monkey's personality and abilities. At each level the tasks become more complex and the training environment becomes increasingly home-like to prepare these service animals for life in their recipient's home. In this area of the program helping hands training staff works with a rotating population of approximately 45-50 monkeys. Trainers are assisted by paid work-study students from boston university and local volunteers who conduct husbandry care. In addition this program also includes outreach to the general public, our applicants and their families informing them of our program services.”

“The socialization program provides foster homes to raise monkeys from birth through adolescence until monkeys are ready for training. They learn to interact in a home environment and develop their readiness for training at the monkey college. Through this program the organization also coordinates supportive homes for monkeys who have entered their twilight years or who require closer medical supervision.”