Jackie Ducci funds Palm Beach County therapy dog expansion

Wellington philanthropist Jackie Ducci is giving a $15,000 grant to expand therapy dog outreach across Palm Beach County through Paws for a Better Life. The funding will sponsor three therapy dogs for community visits aimed at emotional support, companionship and connection.

Why it matters: - The grant expands animal-assisted support for Palm Beach County residents and organizations that may benefit from emotional comfort, enrichment and social connection. - Research from the National Institutes of Health has found therapy animals can help reduce anxiety, stress, loneliness and social isolation, especially among vulnerable populations. - The funding also helps sustain a local program that pairs therapy dogs with community needs, including services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

What happened: - Wellington-based philanthropist and Human-Animal Alliance founder Jackie Ducci provided a $15,000 grant to Paws for a Better Life. - The grant will sponsor three therapy dogs serving organizations and residents across Palm Beach County. - The announcement came on August 26, 2026. - Paws for a Better Life is operated by Marti Hohmann Probst and Ben Probst. - The program works with local groups including Jewish Association for Residential Care, or JARC.

The details: - Paws for a Better Life sends trained therapy dogs on community outreach visits focused on emotional support, enrichment, companionship and connection. - The organization also provides dog safety and training education during community interactions. - After completing service in the program, the dogs are ultimately placed as facility dogs with local organizations. - Marti Hohmann Probst said the therapy dogs create moments of comfort and connection that can change someone’s day, and said the support from The Human-Animal Alliance will help the organization keep growing its impact. - Ducci said animals can help people feel seen, safe and connected, and said supporting a local organization doing that work means a great deal to her.

Between the lines: - The grant reflects growing donor interest in programs that tie animal welfare to mental health and community care. - The Human-Animal Alliance is using targeted grants to support grassroots groups rather than broad national campaigns, which can make local impact easier to measure. - The program’s mix of outreach, education and eventual facility-dog placement suggests a longer-term service model, not a one-time visitation effort.

What's next: - Paws for a Better Life is expected to continue expanding therapy dog visits across Palm Beach County with the new funding. - The Human-Animal Alliance says it will keep awarding grants to grassroots initiatives that strengthen human-animal connections. - More information is available in the organization’s announcement and on its Facebook page.

The bottom line: - A local grant is set to put three more therapy dogs into Palm Beach County communities, extending a program built around comfort, companionship and measurable emotional support.