Hearts and Smiles

Animal Assisted Happiness (AAH)

enriches the lives of youth with needs through barnyard animal interactions at our Smile Farm and mobile visits, creating moments of joy and happiness throughout our AAH community.

We provide barnyard buddies so young people and their family members can experience the smiles only animals can bring. We believe everyone deserves to feel seen, safe, and celebrated. Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the generosity of our community, we create meaningful moments that foster comfort, confidence, and connection for youth with needs throughout the Bay Area. Our vision is a million smiles.

AAH Programming

Animal Assisted Happiness (AAH) delivers joy, comfort, and connection to youth with needs through animal-assisted programs. We serve youth across the Bay Area. Our core programs help youth feel safe, seen, and celebrated.

Smile Farm Visits

Youth with needs and school groups visit our AAH Smile Farm for peaceful, play-based animal interactions that support emotional wellbeing and confidence.

Mobile Barnyard Buddies

AAH's animal ambassadors travel to schools, hospitals, and community organizations, removing access barriers and reaching children where they are.

Vocational Education and Enrichment

Older youth and young adults with needs build self-confidence, and life skills through hands-on
animal care and job-readiness training.

Who We Serve

We serve youth with a wide range of needs, because joy and connection should be accessible to everyone. Our programs support young people who are navigating:

Developmental disabilities such as autism or down syndrome
Physical challenges including mobility, chronic illness, or injury
Emotional and behavioral needs such as trauma, anxiety, or ADHD
Socio-economic barriers which limit access to enrichment services
Life-limiting conditions such as terminal illness or severe medical diagnoses