A Christian Community Service Outreach Ministry
Crisis Response Therapy Dog Teams
Purpose
The purpose of the Canines For Christ Crisis Response Therapy Dog Teams ( CRT) is to deploy teams who will bring a ministry of presence, prayers and appropriately share God’s love, comfort, and hope to those that have been affected by man-made or natural disasters. Our dogs are used as the vessel to open the door to share this message.
How to Get Involved:
- CRT Volunteer must be a current C4C volunteer
- Volunteer must have completed the “Sharing Hope in Crisis” online training through Billy Graham Rapid Response Chaplains
- Your dog must have achieved the AKC Excellent Therapy Dog Title with a minimum of 100 community visits.
- Volunteer must complete the Chaplain Application or the Crisis Response Volunteer Application
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I work with a team?
Answer: It depends on the situation. When there are other crisis Chaplains in the area, you can team up, however in many cases, such as police shootings, you may be the only volunteer to respond.
What will each day be like?
- Pray for one another each day
- Visit with families and people at the assigned areas
- Listen to the stories of people in distress and grief
- Pray, encourage, and share the comfort and hope of Jesus Christ
- Keep a record of your contacts and prayer request
What will my daily schedule look like?
- Early morning devotions and prayer
- Breakfast
- Team assignments
- Ministry
- Dinner
- Evening debriefing and prayer
What will be provided by C4C?
- Special black “Chaplain” C4C shirts and hats for volunteers
- Credentials for volunteers
- Orientation training upon arrival and before deployment
- Pocket Testaments to hand out
- Breakfasts and Dinners
- Arrangements for accommodations at a pet-friendly hotel
- Coordination with local and federal agencies as well as church ministries
What will volunteers need to bring?
- Bible
- Long pants or capris for women
- Closed-toe shoes
- C4C shirts, dog vest, business cards, lanyard
- Food for the dog, water bowl, poop bags
- Dog’s health record and therapy dog certifications