Helping Your Local Animal Shelter

Helping Your Local Animal Shelter

1 October 2018

Julianne Shenk

JBS Nonprofit Consulting

I have recently been asked when is the best time to donate to an animal shelter. Local animal shelters are always in need, always. People seem to think that shelters only need help during natural disasters or other circumstances when animals get displaced, but shelters need your help, all the time.

Below is a list of ways you can help:

1.     Cash.

2.     Tangible donations: water and food bowls, pet beds, collars and leashes, food, cat litter, litter boxes, newspapers, and grooming supplies.

3.     Volunteer to walk dogs and pet cats.

4.     Share news, wish lists, and adoptable animals via your social media.

5.     Help in repairing facilities…for the handyperson!

6.     Foster an animal.

7.     Volunteer to transport pets to foster homes, adoption events, and medical appointments.

8.     Volunteer in any capacity that the shelter needs.

Call your local shelter and see what their needs are. They may need a person to take pictures for adoption, help with gathering donations, help with their budget. There are dozens of ways to help.

If you have any ideas of your own, share them with us!

Photo: Aurora Animal Shelter, City of Aurora

Helping Hurricane Florence Victims: Where is help Needed?

Helping Hurricane Florence Victims: Where is help Needed?

September 25, 2018

Julianne Shenk

JBS Nonprofit Consulting

I have been getting a few questions about the best way to help the victims of Hurricane Florence. I have also had a few inquiries about the trustworthiness of certain organizations. Below is a list of agencies and links/info to help. Thank you to NC Station WXII 12 NEWS for the help.[1]

“Donating money is often the most effective way to help in the wake of a natural disaster because it helps get resources to the field quickly.”[2]

The American Red Cross https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-florence-donations.html/

North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund activated by Gov. Roy Cooper's office to accept donations to support North Carolina’s response to Hurricane Florence. Click here  to donate. https://www.rebuild.nc.gov/

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC has activated a giving page for donations to support their network response efforts, including securing staging and distributing water and food for impacted families. Click here to donate. https://secure.qgiv.com/event/939220/

Samaritan's Purse U.S. Disaster Relief will be helping homeowners recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Florence. Click here to donate. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-florence  

The Salvation Army  Click hereto donate. https://give.helpsalvationarmy.org/give/166081/#!/donation/checkout

Habitat for Humanity is collecting donations that will be used to respond to Hurricane Florence. Click here to donate. https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=971

Americares  Click here to donate. https://www.americares.org/ and hit DONATE in upper RIGHT corner

American Humane has already evacuated animals transporting them more than 800 miles to safe, dry ground. Click here to donate. http://www.americanhumane.org/ Click DONATE in upper RIGHT corner

FFF Equine Rescue is helping other large animal rescue groups collect items for horses and other large animals affected by flooding. Click here for a list of needed items.

As always, I advise you to take a few minutes and peruse the website of the agency you are interested in. If you feel comfortable in the literature and links that you review, you can make the decision how/when/amount to donate.

This is not a complete list by any means, there are other local and national agencies rendering aid to the area. This is just a sampling provided in part by the News agency mentioned above. Feel free to investigate other wanting agencies on your own.

*Some of the links may not operate based on the device that you are reviewing this blog on. If this is the case for you, please copy and paste the provided links into your browser.

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[1] WXII NC, https://www.wxii12.com/

[2] https://www.wxii12.com/article/heres-how-to-help-hurricane-florence-victims/23208513