Kindling Minds

Home
United States
Carmel, IN
Kindling Minds

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Kindling Minds, PO 500, Carmel, IN.

We’re on a mission to help teens and pre-teens in central Indiana build resilience and improve mental wellness through research-informed programs rooted in connection—with animals, nature, and art. The Chris Center offers an innovative approach to teen wellness by connecting teens and pre-teens to nature and providing opportunities for human-animal interaction. Our programs include:
* PAWs Therapy Dog Program
* Alpaca-Assisted Wellness Programs
* Mindful Arts Program
* Parent Education Series

For more information about our programs, please visit our website: www.chriscenterpaws.com

12/25/2025

Sending warm wishes from all of us at Kindling Minds, however you celebrate this season. 🩷

12/23/2025

Hi friends, it’s Beethvon 🐾

Kids today really need joyful, calming, and supportive moments woven into their school day — and that’s exactly what I get to bring when I visit with Kindling Minds. ❤️

To keep visits like mine going, Kindling Minds needs your support.
Please consider an end-of-year donation to help me and my mom keep showing up for the kids who need us most.

🫶 Your gift makes a real difference: https://loom.ly/9W2xnT0

12/19/2025

🐾 Recent moments from CFI 70...

Last week was Charlie’s VERY FIRST PAWS VISIT and he was a natural! The students immediately adored him and welcomed him so warmly into the program. 🐶

It was also the first time some of our new Kindling Minds swag made it out into the world... as worn by Margarita who was also there with her beloved Kingsley. Nice hat, huh?

So grateful for these teams and the joy they bring to every visit! We look forward to coming back after all the school's winter breaks are over in January. ⭐

12/17/2025

🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 🚨

Now is the time to make your support go TWICE AS POWERFUL! 💥

Thanks to an incredible $2,000 matching gift from our founder Nancy Elbert and her children Garrett, Kellyn, and Brooke, every dollar you donate will be MATCHED—doubling your impact on our mission.

This generous gift is given in loving memory of their brother/uncle Chris Elbert and father/grandfather William Elbert. 💙

✨ Donate to our End-of-Year Campaign today and your contribution will go 2X as far in supporting the work you care about most: https://loom.ly/9W2xnT0

🙏 Thank you, Nancy, Garrett, Kellyn, and Brooke, for this meaningful and inspiring generosity.

12/16/2025

In a time when so many young people feel disconnected, Kindling Minds is creating spaces for healing — through Mindful Arts, the human–animal connection, and the power of nature. 💜

As we close out the year, we’re asking for your support.
Your donation directly fuels programs that help teens and pre-teens feel seen, supported, and emotionally safe.

If you believe in nurturing youth mental wellness, please give today.
✨ Together, we can spark connection and ignite hope. light the way forward.

👉 Donate now and make a real difference: https://loom.ly/9W2xnT0

12/15/2025

We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools CFI 84! 💙 🐾

We kicked things off last week with two of our PAWS Teams — Leslie & Maggie and Margarita & Kingsley — and the experience could not have been sweeter. The students were so warm and welcoming, and our PAWS pups were absolutely delighted to meet their new friends!

We can’t wait for many more visits and joyful moments in this beautiful school. Here’s to a wonderful partnership ahead! ✨

12/11/2025

We are thrilled to share that Kindling Minds has received a $25,000 operating support grant from Capital Group! This generous funding will directly support our mission and strengthen our work in youth mental wellness. 💛

A heartfelt thank-you to Cindy Heinbaugh, one of our incredible board members, whose dedication helped make this grant possible.

Together, we’re creating brighter futures for young people. ✨

12/09/2025

Meet Lauren. 💛
Like so many of us during COVID, she felt isolated and disconnected.

Then came April — a puppy who brought comfort, connection, and a new sense of purpose. 🐾❤️

April didn’t just help Lauren heal… she inspired her.

Together, they became a PAWS Wellness Support Team with us, bringing calm, joy, and companionship to students who need it most.

The human–animal bond changed Lauren’s life, and now she’s paying it forward.

Together, we can make a lasting impact.
🩵 Donate today and help spark connection, ignite hope, and change lives: https://loom.ly/9W2xnT0
🧡 Volunteer and be a part of building resilience and improving youth mental wellness: https://loom.ly/7fVZHHw
University High School of Indiana

12/04/2025

✨ Sparking Connection, Igniting Hope… together.

When Melanie at a school or community event with her support dogs, something shifts. Kids relax. Conversations get easier.

She first saw this comfort with her sister in hospice—every therapy dog visit lifted her spirit. Now she sees that same spark in students, especially those carrying quiet stress or standing alone.

Through the PAWS Wellness Support Dog Program, Melanie is helping make sure other kids feel seen, accepted, and not alone.

Together, we can make a lasting impact.
🩵 Donate today and help spark connection, ignite hope, and change lives: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/thechriscenter/
🧡 Volunteer and be a part of building resilience and improving youth mental wellness: https://www.kindlingminds.org/volunteer-opportunities

12/02/2025

🐾 Ever wish your dog could make a whole school light up?

They can.

On this GIVING TUESDAY, we are asking for THE GIFT OF YOUR TIME. The gift of volunteering on our PAWS Team.

Our volunteers say it best here: every time a PAWS team walks into a school, something GOOD happens. Kids feel it. Teachers feel it. Our dogs definitely feel it.

If you and your pup want more purpose, this is your sign. 🩵
We promise something GOOD will happen: https://www.kindlingminds.org/volunteer-opportunities

Don't have a dog? Share this with someone who does! 🐶

11/27/2025

The entire Kindling Minds team wishes you a peaceful and joy-filled Thanksgiving. 🧡

11/25/2025

Huge congrats to Melanie and her three amazing golden retrievers — Archie, Oakley, and Winston — for recently passing their PAWS Wellness Support Dog renewal evaluations! 🐾✨

We’re so proud of Melanie and her incredible Support Dogs and how much JOY they bring to our school, company, and community visits!

Address

PO 500
Carmel, IN
46082

Website

http://www.kindlingminds.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kindling Minds posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Kindling Minds:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Carmel?