Community Corner

Coventry Family Raising Funds for Autism Service Dog

Donations will help Ohio-based non-profit 4 Paws for Ability provide 11-year-old Jacob Matarese with a fully trained Autism Service dog.

Published Nov. 13, 2013 at 10:42 a.m., Updated with fundraising information Nov. 18 at 2:56 p.m.

Jacob Matarese, 11, of Coventry, is caring, sensitive and funny, and unassumingly commands a presence from people that almost always causes them to instantly fall in love with him. The Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School student also loves music (especially Taylor Swift), building with Legos, watching movies and playing video games. 

In the past, he has helped raise money for the Special Olympics and American Heart Association, in addition to collecting many wish list items for a local animal shelter and giving up Thanksgiving dinner with his family to serve a holiday meal to those less fortunate than him.

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Jacob has a variety of conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder and Noonan Syndrome that he has been battling since birth and that impact his daily life, making each day a struggle for he and his family as a whole. He meets challenges in simple daily tasks that most people take for granted, as well as in school and other social settings. 

According to Jacob's mom, Tara Matarese, any type of transition or routine disruption proves to be traumatic for him both emotionally and mentally, usually resulting in physical exhaustion and an increase in his already extreme anxiety. Also, due to Jacob’s social awkwardness and inability to read social cues, he is often misunderstood, especially by his peers. These factors combined with Jacob's medical needs, cause frequent meltdowns, repetitive behaviors (often self injurious), fixated and obsessive tendencies, along with sleep difficulties.

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To benefit their son and family, Tara and husband Jim set out to find an alternative to help improve his daily life, and at the recommendation of Jacob’s medical team found 4 Paws for Ability. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization's mission is to place quality service dogs with children with disabilities and educate the public regarding the use of service dogs in public places.

4 Paws for Ability has developed a program geared toward the placement of dogs to provide a level of emotional support above and beyond what Jacob and children like him could ever hope for. Jacob's parents hope they can use this service dog as a tool to help calm him during times of anxiety and transition.

"I'm very excited to get my service dog because I will have a friend that won't pick on me, I'll feel safer and sleep better," said Jacob. He is also looking forward to having a dog as it will help calm him down in crowded places.

"We also hope we can use this service dog to provide for Jacob a safety net to go out into the world more confident and independent than he would without one," explained Tara.

As the cost to place a fully trained service dog in the home runs 4 Paws for Ability about $22,000, the Matarese family has agreed to personally raise a lofty goal of $13,000 to offset the total cost.

To help the cause, Coventry resident Tyler Horrocks, the mastermind behind "The Crazy Christmas House" light display at his family's 9 Blue Spruce Drive home, will collect donations on Jacob's behalf throughout the Christmas season, beginning with a "Light the Night" event on Thanksgiving night, during which Jacob will have the honor of turning on the lights to officially kick off the display's 2013 season.

On Dec. 6, Tyler and his family will also be hosting a Holiday Hoopla event from 7-10 p.m. at Club Jogues (184 Boston St., Coventry) featuring a dinner buffet, dessert, cash bar, DJ, Ugly Sweater Contest, visit from Santa, raffles and a silent auction to raise proceeds in honor of Jacob. Tickets are $20 each, $35 per couple of $65 for a family 4-pack, and can be purchased, here. Those interested in donating raffle prizes and silent auction items for the event may click here to contact Tyler via the Crazy Christmas House Facebook page or at thecrazychristmashouse@live.com.

Members of the community who would like to donate towards Jacob's service dog or obtain more information about the 4 Paws for Ability program, may do so by clicking here to visit Jacob's official "4 Paws for Jacob Fundraising Page".

To learn more about Jacob, his family and their inspirational quest for life-changing service dog, be sure to visit and "like" his 4 Paws for Jacob Facebook page!


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