Every once in a while, a dog comes along that changes everything. In the summer of 2023, I received a message about a group of rescue dogs that had just arrived from a high-intake shelter in Tennessee. One photo stood out. Her name was Wendy. She was 11 weeks old, barely 12 pounds—but her eyes told the whole story. Full of hope, love, and resilience. I knew instantly: this was our dog.
She arrived through Wags & Walks as part of their very first Hamptons Pup-Up. We brought her home, gave her the name Coach Wendy, and like many parents, I instantly "failed" as a foster. But in truth, she found me at just the right time.
In the months that followed, I was deep in building The Giving Classroom—a platform designed to give families access to affordable, high-quality personalized education while supporting causes that matter. Coach became part of the story. Her presence reminded me that every child—and every animal—deserves a safe place to grow.
