The Child and Family Center released several posts on Giving Tuesday featuring their new therapy dog as part of an effort to fundraise for the organization.

The posts on the center’s Facebook page and newsletter introduced the latest addition to the Child and Family Therapy Center staff, a six-year-old black labrador retriever named Jordyn.

Jordyn’s introduction explained the value she adds to the agency through outdoor play, providing a calming presence for children and helping to increase communication.

Jordyn joined the staff in October when her owner, Kimberly Hirano, took a position with the center as division director for Access and Specialty Programs.

Previously, Jordyn had trained to work as a guide dog for the blind, but was unable to continue in that program due to allergies.

Hirano soon learned that while Jordyn could not work as a guide dog, she could serve in other capacities, which led Hirano to train Jordyn as a therapy dog.

“She’s a very calm dog, not intimidating at all,” said Cheryl Jones, vice president for marketing and community outreach at Child and Family Center. “I’ve seen the kids interacting with her in the lobby, and they gravitate to her. You can see she makes them feel warm and comfortable.”

The Child and Family Center provides comprehensive prevention, early intervention, diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic services for children, teenagers, adults and families in Santa Clarita.

Jordyn’s introduction also served as an opportunity to call upon the community to donate to the center during the potential momentum surrounding Giving Tuesday.

“We did have increased participation on Giving Tuesday, and a lot of people liked and commented on the post and the email newsletter,” said Jones.

Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and encourages people to give back to their community, whether through volunteer work or charitable donations.

The movement was originally championed by The United Nations Foundation in 2012 as a response to the growing commercialization and consumerism surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday via Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

While Giving Tuesday has passed, there are always opportunities to assist the Child and Family Center.

To learn more about the Child and Family Center, visit their website here.

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