To round out A-G Associates’ annual company retreat on March 26, Team A-G spent the day volunteering at Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) in Boyds, MD. WCC’s mission of serving Veterans through the training of service dogs closely aligns with A-G’s work through the Military, Veteran & Family Center of Excellence (MVF COE).  

“When two mission-driven, like-minded organizations come together, their collective commitment to advancing wellbeing across military and veteran communities is amplified,” said Cicely Burrows- McElwain, the Director for the MVF COE. 

WCC enlists the help of Veterans, known as “Warriors,” who are seeking animal-assisted therapy to cope with post-deployment challenges. These Warriors help raise and train puppies to become service dogs. At the end of the training and certification process, the dogs are paired with Veterans with physical and psychological wounds. In 2025, WCC placed 22 assistance dogs with Veterans at no cost to them or their families. 

"We’re incredibly grateful for A-G Associates’ partnership, sharing of expertise and hands-on support,” said Rick Yount, executive director and founder, WCC. “When organizations like A-G dedicate their time and energy to our mission, it directly strengthens our ability to serve Veterans and provide them with life-changing service dogs." 

During the volunteer day, A-G leaders partnered with WCC’s development team on strategic planning for the organization’s continued growth. During this session, A-G leaders consulted on organizational strategy and implementation, change management, stakeholder engagement, and more. Through deliberate coordination and collaborative strategic planning, A-G hopes to help WCC celebrate and recognize the amazing progress they have underway already and to accelerate new efforts towards achieving their goals. 

“The MVF Center of Excellence is honored that Warrior Canine Connection has allowed us to learn so much about their work and help them move the mission forward.  Each conversation strengthens alignment, builds momentum, and reinforces our shared purpose,” said Burrows- McElwain.  

With planning support from MVF COE’s Mackenzie Witt, more than 50 A-G employees contributed their time through small-group rotations. Volunteers helped clean out a garage that was being converted into a puppy room, trained puppies on basic commands, and crafted dog leashes. With the help of volunteer groups, WCC uses these handmade, colorful leashes for dogs in training and sells them on its website to support its mission. Team A-G created more than 100 leashes for WCC. 

A-G Associates is committed to building an ongoing relationship with WCC and expanding the impact of its Mission Based Trauma Recovery program, which empowers Warriors to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans, while experiencing the healing benefits of the human-canine bond. 

Find out how you can support Warrior Canine Connection here. 

To learn more about the Military, Family & Veteran Center of Excellence, click here.