Connecting Homeless Youth and Shelter Animals: 20-Year-Old Rachel Cohen, Hand2Paw

"It's a novel idea that homeless youth have so much to offer, and that these youth could really make the difference at this shelter.  As it turns out, so many of these youth absolutely love animals."

- Rachel Cohen

Twenty-year-old Rachel Cohen is the Founder and Executive Director of Hand2Paw. Hand2Paw's mission is to connect homeless teens and shelter animals in a mutually beneficial way. They provide homeless teens with professional skills training and therapeutic experiences. They also  ensure that thousands of homeless and abandoned animals get the socialization and training they deserve.

Rachel has loved animals since her parents got her the Eyewitness Companion Guide to Dogs for her 8th birthday. This fateful Hanukkah present, they now realize, was wholly responsible for her career trajectory. She is also a Penn student and a current Top 15 National Finalist for the Washington Campus Compact's Students in Service Awards, as well as the winner of a DoSomething Grant.

You can listen and subscribe to the Big Vision Podcast via iTunes, or on the player above.  If you have suggestions for people I should interview (especially new, young big visionaries), please email me at britt AT brittbravo DOT com.

Show Notes

I have three workshops coming up:

• May 14: Blogging for Writers workshop at the Writing Salon in Berkeley, CA.
• June 1-22: My Juicy Blogging E-course: The Art and Play of Blogging for Artists, Writers, Creative Entrepreneurs and Do-Gooders. 
• August 5: I'll be at BlogHer '11 in San Diego and leading the idea generation portion of The Write Brain – Essential Blog Content Development Workshop.

Learn more about Rachel and Hand2Paw:

• Website: http://www.hand2paw.org 
• Blog: http://hand2pawblog.blogspot.com
•  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hand2PawFB 
• Twitter: @Hand2PawOrg 
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Hand2Paw  
• How to Bring Hand2Paw to your town 
• Blog: Alternative Spring Break at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Connect with me

• Website: http://brittbravo.com
• Speaking and workshop calendar: http://brittbravo.com/speaking
• Blog: http://havefundogood.blogspot.com
• Twitter: @Bbravo
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/britt.bravo

Music

"Mango Delight," by Kenya Masala.  You can connect with Kenya through CD Baby, Source Consulting Group, and Facebook.

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