Four-year-old Shane Traver, who suffers from autism, is just weeks away from meeting the service dog - a golden retriever named Jake - that the Wareham community helped raise money to secure.

Shane's parents, Michele and Kevin, were looking for a "transition family," a home for Jake to live while he is trained, close enough to Wareham so that Shane could bond with his dog. After news of the family's need spread, an uncle Shane's parents stepped forward and offered to house Jake and help in the training.

"He lives in Duxbury and we can see Jake as often as we'd like," said Michele.

The community helped raise $10,000 last fall to secure the pooch from the North Star Foundation, a Connecticut nonprofit which breeds and partners service dogs with children who face social, emotional, and educational challenges.

The pup was born in December and is now undergoing basic training, house breaking, and crate training in New Jersey. He'll then make his way to the Bay State and will undergo service dog training before moving in with Shane and his family.