Kindling Minds

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Kindling Minds

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We’re on a mission to help teens and pre-teens in central Indiana build resilience and improve mental wellness through research-informed programs rooted in connection—with animals, nature, and art. The Chris Center offers an innovative approach to teen wellness by connecting teens and pre-teens to nature and providing opportunities for human-animal interaction. Our programs include:
* PAWs Therapy

Dog Program
* Alpaca-Assisted Wellness Programs
* Mindful Arts Program
* Parent Education Series

For more information about our programs, please visit our website: www.chriscenterpaws.com

06/18/2026

🐾 We're thrilled to announce that Elements Financial is joining us as a Barking Lot Sponsor for this year's Wags for Wellness event! 💛

We are incredibly grateful for their support and commitment to helping us advance youth mental wellness throughout our community. Partnerships like these make it possible for us to continue creating meaningful opportunities for connection, comfort, and belonging for young people across Indiana.

We're still welcoming sponsors for this exciting event! If you or your organization would like to get involved and make an impact, we'd love to connect.

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities at Kindling Minds.

📅 Wags for Wellness
September 18 | 6–10 PM
📍 Radius Venue

06/17/2026

🦙💛 What a magical week at our Alpaca-Assisted Wellness Summer Camp!

Last week at Stone Farm, we had the privilege of witnessing the incredible transformation that happens when young people feel safe, understood, and connected. Through time spent with alpacas, nature, and one another, students were encouraged to slow down, be fully present, and engage with the world around them in meaningful ways.

Throughout the week, we watched students step outside their comfort zones, build confidence, form new friendships, and discover a genuine sense of belonging. These moments of connection are exactly why we do this work!

Camp activities included:
🌿 Mindfulness and grounding practices in nature
🦙 Alpaca interactions, nature walks, and animal observation
🎨 Mindful art activities and creek stomping adventures
💛 Group discussions exploring empathy, leadership, and healthy boundaries

A huge thank you to our partners, volunteers, and the wonderful alpacas who helped make this week so special. The smiles, laughter, and connections made throughout the week are something we'll be carrying with us all summer long!!

🦙💛🌿

06/11/2026

🐾✨ Get to Know Our Paws: Meet Millie! ✨🐾

First up in our new series is one of our amazing Wellness Support Dogs, Millie! 💛

Millie and her mom, Dara, have been volunteering with Kindling Minds for about a year, sharing comfort, connection, and plenty of smiles wherever they go. She is quite the fashionista and you can often find Millie sporting one of her many colorful hoodies! When she's not volunteering, Millie can be found carrying around her favorite stuffed squirrel or hanging out with her best friend, a cat named Nugget!

What makes Millie such a great support dog? While she may be small, her calm and gentle presence helps students feel safe and at ease. She's especially wonderful with young children and those who may feel nervous around larger dogs. Her favorite thing? When someone gets down on the floor and sees the world from her level. 🐶

Dara shared a memory that stands out during a visit to the Carmel Library, "A child with some developmental challenges and Millie hit it off. When the child sat on the floor, Millie put her head in their lap. We talked about so many things while they continuously pet her with a huge smile the whole time."

These are the moments that remind us why this work matters. 💛

06/10/2026

🎉 We are THRILLED to announce that Kindling Minds has been awarded a $25,000 grant from Healthcare Initiatives, Inc. (HCI)! 🎉

This generous investment in our mission will help strengthen and expand our PAWS Wellness Support Program, allowing us to develop new resources, enhance existing materials, and increase our ability to bring comfort, connection, and support to youth throughout our community.

We are incredibly grateful to HCI for believing in the power of human-animal connection to support youth mental wellness and for helping us continue to grow the impact of this important work. 💛🐾

Together, we're creating more opportunities for young people to experience the magic that our PAWS teams provide every day.

06/09/2026

🐾 We're excited to celebrate three of our PAWS Wellness Support Teams who have successfully completed their annual renewals! 💜

As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, we're actively recruiting volunteers for our Wellness Support Teams and now is the perfect time to join us!

Looking for a meaningful way to give back with your four-legged best friend? Our programs continue to grow, and with new school and community partnerships on the horizon, we will have plenty of volunteer opportunities for those wanting to get involved. Summer is the perfect time to complete onboarding and be ready to hit the ground running this fall.

📩 Interested in learning more? Send us a DM! We'd love to connect

🐾💛

06/08/2026

Looking for something fun to do with the whole family this Saturday? ☀️🐾

Come swing by the Pike Farmers Market at Common Ground West Church on Saturday, June 13 from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM!

Several of our Kindling Minds PAWS Wellness Support Teams will be there spreading joy, comfort, and connection while sharing more about our mission and the work we do throughout the community. We’d love for you to stop by, say hello, and meet some of our amazing support dogs! 💛

06/03/2026

We’re thrilled to welcome Tracy and her dog, Zeke, as our newest PAWS Wellness Support Team! 🐾💛

We’re so excited to have them join the Kindling Minds family and can’t wait to see the comfort, connection, joy, and smiles they’ll share with students and community members throughout their volunteer journey.

Drop two paws up 🐾 in the comments to help us give Tracy and Zeke a warm welcome!

Interested in making a difference that you can not only see but truly feel? Send us a DM, and we’ll be happy to share more information about becoming a PAWS Wellness Support Team. 🐶✨

06/02/2026

We’re excited to partner with our friends at Uptown Pup to host a fun and educational HUMANS ONLY seminar on June 18 from 6:00–7:00 PM in Uptown Pup’s training room.

Together with their training team, we’ll walk through the path to becoming a support/therapy dog team, share more about the work our Kindling Minds PAWS teams do in the community, enjoy light refreshments, and answer your questions along the way.

Know someone who may be interested in this line of work? Bring them along! The more the merrier! This is a FREE event, and we would love to see you there.

05/29/2026

Mental Health Awareness month is coming to a close and we had a month filled with connection, comfort, and a whole lot of joy. At Kindling Minds, we believe connection is at the heart of mental wellness. We are here to help Indiana’s youth reconnect—with themselves, with others, and with the world around them through meaningful experiences with animals, nature, and creative expression.

Our name reflects the heart behind our work. Kindling Minds was originally founded in honor of Nancy’s brother, Chris, whose life was deeply shaped by the peace and comfort he found in animals and nature. His story continues to inspire our mission and serves as a reminder that connection can be incredibly powerful in the healing process.

Just like kindling alone cannot build a strong fire, none of us are meant to do life alone. Real impact happens through community, support, and connection. We are grateful to each of you for helping us continue to spark hope and belonging for young people across Indiana!

05/28/2026

Let’s hear it for one of our Su-paw-star Sponsors… 🐾
We’re incredibly grateful for the support of Katz, Sapper & Miller as a sponsor of Wags for Wellness! 💛

Their partnership helps bring this special event to life while supporting our mission to support youth mental wellness through connection, compassion, and creativity.

We’re so thankful to have KSM as part of the Kindling Minds community and grateful for their commitment to helping us create meaningful impact for students across our community.

Save the Date!
📅 September 18 | 6–10 PM
📍 Radius Venue
🎟️ Tickets coming soon!

Address

PO 500
Carmel, IN
46082

Website

http://www.kindlingminds.org/

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