Canine Companions transforms lives by providing expertly trained service dogs free of charge. As a Small Business Star Nominee for Energy Assessments & Cost Efficiency, the nonprofit has embraced energy efficiency, reinvesting savings into its mission to foster independence and inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
What does being a Small Business Star mean to you?
We are honored to have been selected as the PSEG Long Island Small Business Star recipient. It showcases their commitment to working with the community to reduce energy costs. As a nonprofit, we want to be good stewards of our donor gifts and the environment. The more money we save, the more we have to train and place our expertly trained service dogs.
What is your company’s mission statement? What are some goals for 2025?
As the leader of the service dog industry, Canine Companions transforms the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs that assist with practical tasks, as well as provide unconditional love and acceptance—free of charge. This powerful relationship leads to increased independence, self-esteem and inclusion for a person with a disability. Established in 1975, Canine Companions is a nonprofit 501(c)3 and has six regions across the country serving all 50 states. Learn more at canine.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.
We are celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2025. Our goals are to celebrate our history and successes! The demand for our dogs is increasing. We are putting the foundational pieces in place for the next 50 years, including:
- Expanding our physical plant with more dorm rooms and more kennels, and
- Recruiting more volunteers – puppy raisers and foster parents – to give our puppies a good start toward their life of service!
February’s focus is Energy Assessments & Cost Efficiency. How has focusing on energy efficiency strengthened your business operations?
Working closely with the PSEG Long Island team has enabled us to take advantage of all of their programs from a free energy assessment which served as a roadmap to successfully change all of our lighting, both indoor and outdoor to LED and significantly reduce our energy costs.
How has participating in energy assessments helped your business better serve the local community?
It has enabled us to focus on our mission, rather than worrying about energy costs.
Can you share how cost-efficient measures have allowed you to invest more in supporting local customers or initiatives?
It has afforded us the opportunity to re-invest the savings back into the program.
How do you involve your community in your efforts to prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability?
We remind people to remember to turn lights off when an area is not in use and that we want to be good stewards of our donor dollars raised and of the environment.
What role do you think small businesses play in promoting energy efficiency within the broader community?
We have an obligation to serve as an example of energy efficiency to others in the community and share the benefits of protecting the environment by reducing carbon footprint.
What advice would you give to other local businesses looking to adopt energy-saving practices that benefit both their operations and the community?
Get an energy assessment and work with the PSEG Long Island team to see how adopting energy-saving practices can save you money which can be reinvested in your business and reduce your carbon footprint to help the environment.
Can you share any stories of how your energy efficiency efforts have inspired or positively influenced those around you?
We’re very proud to tell visitors to our center about our energy conservation efforts and our partnership with PSEG Long Island to make this happen.
