United Disabilities Services (UDS), 2270 Erin Court, Lancaster, will host an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 13. The event will offer members of the public an opportunity to learn about the organization's service dog program and the many ways it benefits local schools and individuals throughout the community.

"We're trying to reach out to as many people as we can. Not only to talk about the program and offer a look behind the scenes, but also to make some new friends," said UDS service dogs manager Lori Breece. "Not everyone can afford a sponsorship, but we could use (donations of) dog food."

During the open house, UDS will share information on sponsorships and other ways people can support the service dog program. The event will include various demonstrations from dogs and clients, and staff members and volunteers will be present to answer guests' questions.

Since 2017, UDS has expanded its service area to assist clients within five hours of Lancaster County, including individuals from Delaware, New York City, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. "If someone is within five hours of us, we can help them - no matter what state they live in," Breece said.

In addition to extending its coverage area beyond Lancaster, UDS has continued to partner with schools throughout the county to place support dogs in every school district from Warwick to Solanco. Breece said the organization recently began talks with the School District of Lancaster to bring dogs to schools in the heart of the county. "We're discovering that these districts now want a dog in every building," added Breece. "It's a domino effect; from the moment kids are greeted by a dog when they get off the bus, their anxiety levels have been reduced. It's a beautiful waterfall effect that goes through the whole school, and we couldn't be more proud of it."

The primary goal of UDS' open house is to bring in supporters to help with the long-term financial sustainability of the service dog program. When training service dogs, UDS invests $25,000 to $30,000 per pup over the course of a 22-month process. Clients who receive dogs are only charged $5,000 of the total cost. "We're always in the red, but it's important to be good financial stewards as we try to help the community," said Breece. "I'd love to see a dog in every school, and I believe we're on our way. It's the power of a wet nose and a wagging tail."

For more information, visit https://udservices.org/service-dogs-open-house.