2025 Spring Update: April & May

Meet Breann Stahl, Our New Puppy Raising Program Manager

This spring, we welcomed Breann Stahl to the RI team as our new Puppy Raising Program Manager!

Breann brings a strong background in animal behavior, service dog training, and volunteer support. She started her journey raising dogs through Leader Dogs for the Blind while studying Neuroscience and Animal Behavior at Michigan State University. Later, one of those dogs became her own medical alert service dog—an experience that gave her personal insight into the power of these partnerships.

After working in vision loss research at Vanderbilt and relocating to Nashville, Breann felt called to return to the hands-on work she loved most: helping people and dogs grow together. She now leads our volunteer puppy raisers through the most formative stages of each dog’s development.

We’re so excited to have her with us—make sure to say hello if you see her at training or events!

Volunteer Appreciation Month

April gave us the perfect chance to spotlight one of the most important parts of RI: our volunteers.

We started the month by recognizing standout individuals—like Ruth, who drives our prison program bus three times a month, makes sure it operates fully & is always clean, and even writes how-to guides for other volunteers. Ruth shows up in every way—and she’s just one example of the heart and hands behind this mission.

We also hosted a special volunteer training this month, complete with coffee, breakfast, and shared conversation. It was a chance to learn, reconnect, and say thank you face-to-face.

To every Raiser, Finisher, Flex Volunteer, Coach, and Sitter:
Thank you for being the steady hands, the kind voices, and the reason these dogs become who they’re meant to be. You’re shaping futures with every hour you give, and we’re endlessly grateful to walk this path with you.

Graduation & Camp Week

April also brought one of our most joyful traditions—Graduation and Camp Week!

Five dogs officially transitioned into their new roles:
🐾 Cody and Scout became fully trained service dogs
🐾 Henry, Scottie, and Kai began new careers as facility dogs and skilled companions

For a full week, dogs and their new handlers worked side by side—learning to trust each other, respond to cues, and navigate the world as a team. They tackled grocery store aisles, strolled through L&L Market, and even explored the Parthenon. Step by step, bond by bond, something special took shape.

Each day delivered its own kind of magic: small victories, big breakthroughs, tail wags, and teary-eyed moments. By the time graduation rolled around, the room was bursting with pride—and not a dry eye in sight.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in this journey! Because of you, these dogs are ready to change lives.

The Boy Scouts Go In For Training

As some dogs graduated, others just got started. In April, five young pups—Bryant, Jonah, Kermit, Franklin, and Valor—entered the next phase of their journey: In-For-Training.

In this program, dogs live full-time inside a correctional facility, where they receive daily training from specially selected inmate handlers. This setting gives them consistent structure, focus, and hands-on attention that helps them develop into reliable working dogs, while also providing rehabilitation for the people that care for them.

We’ll miss their playful energy outside, but we’re proud of what lies ahead. Their first furlough—a short week-long visit back into the community—starts in June, and we’ll be cheering them on the whole way.

Graduation Days Behind the Gates

This spring, we were invited into both of our prison programs to celebrate something truly special: graduation ceremonies for the dogs and the people who trained them.

Each dog in for training spends more than a year learning & working inside a Tennessee correctional facility, guided by a dedicated inmate handler. These ceremonies are a powerful moment of closure and pride—not just for the dogs, but for the humans who helped raise them.

At Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, the women’s program shared a moving performance of sign language and dance, choreographed as a tribute to the dogs and the journey. At this graduation, trainers and dogs wore handmade matching bow ties and hair bows, a joyful detail that spoke volumes about the bond they’d built.

We were grateful for rare photo access at this ceremony—and even more grateful to share a glimpse of such a meaningful day with our community.

On a separate visit, we returned to each facility for our Graduation Meals, bringing music, cake, and a warm meal to celebrate the trainers themselves. Trainers spoke, staff shared stories, and the room was filled with genuine appreciation for the work and care poured into these dogs.

These are the moments that remind us just how powerful this program is—not only for the future service dogs it creates, but for the human transformation it inspires along the way.

From Raising Dogs to Raising the Bar: Mike Stanfield’s Journey

One of the most powerful stories to come out of our prison programs is that of Mike Stanfield, who began his journey with Retrieving Independence as a trainer at the Turney Center Industrial Complex.

While in our program, Mike helped raise and train service dogs—building not only their futures, but his own. The structure, connection, and purpose he found during that time helped spark a deeper sense of direction.

After his release, Mike continued his education through Belmont University’s Prison Education Program, eventually enrolling on campus and earning his Bachelor of Business Administration. This May, he took the stage as a commencement speaker at Belmont’s graduation, sharing his story of transformation and second chances.

“Higher education in prison is a rare gift,” he told the crowd. “Education gave me a sense of purpose and direction I didn’t have before.”

Mike’s story is exactly why programs like ours matter—not just for the dogs, but for the humans behind the leash. We’re incredibly proud to be a part of his journey and can’t wait to see where it leads next.

👉 Read Mike’s full story from Belmont University

A Spring Full of Support

In May, we were proud to receive several generous grants, including funding from the Laura J. Niles Foundation, the Kennedy Family Foundation, and a community-focused gift from the Nashville Predators Foundation.

The Preds’ initiative supported 190 nonprofits across Middle Tennessee, and we’re honored to be among them. This kind of support helps us continue growing, training, and serving—and we’re deeply thankful to everyone who believes in our mission.

We are always deeply grateful for any and all support, as it allows us to continue our mission serving individuals who need our help. Thank you to these foundations, our donors, and our supporters, whatever shape they come in.