TYSONS, VA (June 26, 2020) — PenFed Credit Union has welcomed puppy with a purpose, Ace, as part of a partnership with America’s VetDogs. The yellow Labrador Retriever and future service dog will be raised to help a military veteran or first responder with a disability. Andrea McCarren, vice president and chief content officer for PenFed Digital will raise Ace alongside Maverick, a service dog she began raising last year. Ace also joins PenFed service dogs in training Mission and WestPoint who are being raised by PenFed employees.
“PenFed is proud to work with America’s VetDogs and we are honored to support the men and women who serve our country and protect our freedoms,” said James Schenck, president and CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of the PenFed Foundation. “Ace is being raised with the purpose of providing enhanced mobility and renewed independence to veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with disabilities, allowing them to once again live with pride and self-reliance. We are committed to this program and making it work for our employees who are donating their time to raise these dogs for a very noble cause.”
McCarren will spend the next 18 months raising Ace as part of the PenFed family to prepare him for the next step of his training. He will learn additional tasks that are helpful to a person with a disability. PenFed is covering costs associated with the raising of Ace as he begins his journey to become a future service dog.
“As someone who is raising her fourth service dog, I have seen firsthand the powerful impact they have on the lives of a wounded service members and first responders,” said McCarren. “The ability to help a remarkable organization like America’s VetDogs while on the job is one of the many things that makes PenFed special.”
America’s VetDogs specializes in placing highly-skilled service and guide dogs to individuals with physical injuries, PTSD, hearing and vision loss, and seizures. All services are provided by America’s VetDogs at no cost. Sully, George H. W. Bush’s former service dog who is currently working as part of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s Facility Dog Program, was raised, trained and placed by America’s VetDogs. Ace joins other high-profile VetDogs pups with a purpose including the Washington Capitals’ Captain, Scout from Monumental Sports, Atlanta United’s Spike, WBAL’s Brooks and New York Islanders’ Tori and Radar.
“America’s VetDogs is excited to partner with PenFed on this life-changing program to raise a future service dog for a veteran or first responder with disabilities,” said John Miller, president & CEO, America’s VetDogs. “We are thankful to the entire PenFed organization for supporting the VetDogs mission but also for joining our dedicated group of volunteer puppy raisers to provide Ace with a unique and enriching environment that will ultimately mold him into a confident and well-socialized service dog.”
Click here to watch PenFed employees meeting Ace for the first time. You can follow Ace and all the PenFed Pups via the PenFed Pups Facebook group and PenFed’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America’s second-largest federal credit union, serving over 2 million members worldwide with over $26 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services with members’ interests always in mind. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.