The Paws & Peers Foundation was founded in 2019 in response to the ongoing concerns about school safety and mental health. Mesa Public Schools' governing board President at the time, Elaine Miner, saw an opportunity to create the foundation to support the growing Paws & Peers therapy dog program in Mesa schools.

Though the Foundation is independent from the Mesa Public Schools Paws & Peers program, we are its primary financial supporter. With over 80 therapy dogs working in the district, our Foundation helps teachers and staff manage the costs of training and evaluating their therapy dogs, ensuring they can bring comfort and support to their school communities.

Our Board meets quarterly to assess our funds, plan fundraisers, and review funding proposals from the community and the Paws & Peers teams.

Interested in supporting our mission? Visit our Get Involved page to learn how you can contribute.