Edutech Gives Back

The EduTech Program Committee has chosen Gizmo’s Gift
 to be the 2022 recipient of the EduTech Gives Back campaign.
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This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides free veterinary care to any active duty or retired working dog from
the military, law enforcement, and other federal, state, and local government agencies. The organization also works to
reunite these dogswith their previous handlers by providing free transportation to their “fur-ever” homes.

K9 Xanny reunites with his handler, Chris Mortin, in 2015. Gizmo’s Gift provided transport for Xanny from Washington D.C. to Fort Hood, TX after he served as a Military Working Dog for the U.S. Army.

Gizmo’s Gift was founded by Army veteran and Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) graduate Lisa Phillips who was inspired to create Gizmo’s Gift after writing an essay for her Composition I class under the guidance of NLC English instructor Jennifer Riske. This essay helped lay the groundwork for Ms. Phillips’s involvement with Congress to reclassify Military Working Dogs (MWDs) from “equipment” to Canine Members of the Armed Forces.

Federal legislation was passed and signed into law in 2013 recognizing these special K9s for their service, and it provisioned veterinary care up until the dog’s retirement as well as transportation back to their homes in the US from their retirement station overseas. Phillips established Gizmo’s Gift to educate the public about these special troops—and other working dogs—who have served our communities, helping to raise awareness and funds for their ongoing medical care.

TEDx Talk 

On this Veterans Day, please join us in honoring our nation’s four-legged heroes by making a personal donation to Gizmo’s Gift or by exploring the other ways you can help this worthy organization.