Assistance Dogs of the West came to us at the beginning of 2014 with the need for a solid discussion of how the directions of their programs could be paired with a website that would reflect both their work directions and their successful 20-year history of pairing people who have disabilities with service dogs. Content Hive articulated a communications stream that would express their current work along two lines: “1 dog: 1 person,” “1 dog: Many people.” This direction reflected that among ADW’s significant newer programs are ones that find dogs being placed in courthouse settings to assist children and families who have been victims of abuse in giving testimony; and in veterans’ settings to assist veterans in training dogs as service animals for fellow veterans.

A nine-month process in which Content Hive and Rinse Design worked closely together to develop the information architecture, content strategy and design direction of the ADW website ensued. Content Hive helped ADW promote a jazz fundraising concert held in November 2014 that raised $30,000. Content Hive continued to direct a holiday giving campaign that netted more than 50 online donations in a two-week period through a new portal set up for the purpose. Content Hive continues in 2015 to work with ADW as its content strategist as ADW moves firmly into multimedia and online fundraising.