Guide Dogs for the Blind Launches Biweekly Podcast to Kick off Its 80th Anniversary

--Central Bark to Feature Stories That Illustrate Organization’s Mission

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) will have tongues and tails wagging this month, when it launches its new podcast Central Bark on January 27, as part of its yearlong 80^th-anniversary commemoration in 2022.

Theresa Stern, vice president of interdisciplinary client services and engagement for GDB, will host the podcast, with new episodes available every other week on GDB’s website at guidedogs.com/podcast or streaming on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn. The podcast will showcase guests and stories that illuminate GDB’s commitment to helping clients live the lives they want to live.

“I’m super excited to share conversations that will tell listeners everything they want to know about our pups and dogs, as well as the amazing people on the other side of the harness,” said Stern. “Our guests will include GDB graduates, partners, staff, volunteers, and community members who quite literally bring our mission to life.”

The launch of the podcast is just the first in a series of activities that the organization will has planned for this year to commemorate its 80^th anniversary. GDB was founded in 1942 to serve U.S. veterans who were blind or visually impaired. Over eight decades, it has evolved into the largest guide dog school in North America, serving youth and adults from all walks of life with the belief that when everyone is empowered to participate, communities are stronger. GDB changes lives and its graduates live fuller, more independent lives, as students, parents, professors, musicians, engineers, Olympians, and practically any other role in society.

About Guide Dogs for the Blind

Headquartered in San Rafael, Calif., Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) is the largest guide dog school in North America. It is a passionate community that prepares highly qualified guide dogs to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired to move through the world more safely and confidently. This year marks the organization’s 80^th anniversary of helping its clients live the lives they want to live. More than 16,000 guide teams have graduated from GDB since it was founded in 1942. GDB not only improves mobility for its clients, but it also furthers inclusion and advocates for policy reforms that change how the world views blindness. GDB’s services are provided free of charge, and it receives no government funding. The organization was the subject of an award-winning 2018 documentary feature called Pick of the Litter, which was developed into a television docu-series by the same name that debuted in 2019 on Disney+. For more information, visit guidedogs.com, or call 800.295.4050.