Seldom does the Arizona Republic publish success stories on its front page.  But on Sunday, December 23rd, there was a real success story.  It was a picture of a boy and a dog; not much news there, but a huge accomplishment.  Pam Gaber, the President of Gabriel's Angels, and the owner of Gabriel, the dog in the picture, regularly brings her pet therapy dogs to Crisis Nursery, an extraordinary HeadStart based program for young children.  The kids love to see Pam and her four legged friends, and they brush and pet the dogs, taking them for walks on their leashes.  The little boy in the picture has been attending Crisis Nursery since he was a year old.  I was there the day he came in and he was a scared toddler, afraid of everyone and everything.  When the petting zoo set up and the kids would take turns petting the goats and ducks, the little boy had to be held far away from the animals, because he was so frightened. 

Fast forward 3 years, and this little boy is cuddling Gabriel and taking him for walks.  Crisis Nursery F.A.C.E.S. program provides a safe, secure and educational environment for children who are suspected victims of child abuse and neglect.  These kids have a caregiver at home, whether it's grandma, mom, grandpa; someone is there.  So often, however, these children  have not been nurtured and attachment is a huge issue for them; either non-attachment or inappropriate attachment.  They either shun adults or cling to them - both of these are extremes.  The Nursery provides these kids and their caregivers with extraordinary services and has a dedicated staff of teachers and social workers to assist the kids and their families.  The success story of the little boy with the dog is repeated over and over daily at Crisis Nursery.  I am proud to volunteer at the Nursery and, receive more love from the staff and kids than I could possible give.  To find out more about Crisis Nursery, log on to their website at crisisnurseryphx.org.