The Shelter to Soldier team welcomed Forrest into our program through the generous Red Star Sponsorship of Subaru and our rescue partners at Calexico Border Paws.

Forrest was found as a stray in El Centro, rescued by a kind Samaritan who brought him to the shelter. From there, Calexico Border Paws stepped in and, upon learning about our programs, recognized that Forrest had the perfect spirit to become a service dog for a veteran one day. When Forrest arrived at our Wings of Freedom Campus, the entire STS family instantly fell in love with him. He was an absolute sweetheart—always ready to give hugs, offer his paw to hold, and lean gently into anyone nearby. For weeks, we couldn’t stop talking about his loving nature, and neither could Subaru and our friends at 91X.

Donna first discovered our programs after attending a Women Veterans Administration conference. She served with honor in both the United States Air Force and the California Air National Guard for 36 years, retiring in October 2019. Throughout her career, Donna worked primarily in a Combat Communication Squadron but endured hostile encounters during a deployment to Kuwait, which led to severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress. Despite these challenges, Donna persevered, earning her California Teacher Certification through the University of Massachusetts Global and continuing to teach her children, even though driving remained difficult. She knew a service dog could make a profound difference and we wholeheartedly agreed.

When Donna came for her matching session, she met Forrest and a smaller dog. She connected with both but had no clear preference. During a follow-up session, she took short walks with each dog and spent one-on-one time with them. After thoughtful consideration, Donna knew Forrest was “her baby,” a loving nickname she gave him, and on May 6th, 2025, they were officially matched.

Since then, Donna has been a shining star in our program, always arriving with a positive attitude and ready to tackle each lesson. Forrest, too, recognized the days his mom would come for sessions and greeted her with pure joy. Despite tough days, Donna’s resilience impressed us all. When it became clear that they were ready for their Public Access Test (PAT), we took a calm and steady approach, and on January 15th, Donna and Forrest successfully completed the program as a team.

After bringing Forrest home, Donna shared with us, “I love everyone there and feel so very blessed to have found STS. It has been a long journey but so well worth it. As I sit here typing this and watching Forrest, it fills my heart with joy and happiness—something that has not been there in a long time. I tried real hard not to break down after I passed, and it was hard to talk, but my heart was filled with such pride for Forrest for doing so well.“.

We’re thrilled to be scheduling their graduation in the coming weeks and can’t wait to celebrate this incredible team.