Description: North Star Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to breeding, training and placing golden retrievers to serve as Assistance Dogs for children who have autism or related developmental disabilities; we concentrate on meeting the children's social, emotional and educational goals.

Mission: North Star Foundation was formed to help children who have developmental differences such as autism, or who must face challenges such as the loss of a parent, through the use of a specially bred and trained Assistance Dog. Our mission is to help children reach their social, emotional, and educational goals through the use of Animal-Assisted Therapy. We work with the children's existing therapists to help them incorporate their North Star dog into a child's therapeutic program. We travel to childrens' schools to present a program to their peers that promotes tolerance and understanding, as we believe there is no better way to teach tolerance than through the avenue of an Assistance Dog that is trained to help. We also work with children's families, teaching them how to use their North Star Dog to help smooth transitions and soothe anxiety for everybody on the homefront.