Bellevue, Washington, Sept. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bellevue, Washington – Seattle Humane will attempt to raise $175,000 in just one day on Sept. 19 during their Day of Giving campaign, one of the nonprofit pet resource and adoption center’s largest fundraisers of the year.
More than 83 percent of Seattle Humane’s funding comes from generous donations and planned gifts, but donations have not kept up with operating costs over the past several years. In their last fiscal year, Seattle Humane’s operating costs went up 15%, while revenues only rose 3%. Shelters across the country have a higher-than-normal population of shelter pets, and pets are staying in shelters longer than in previous years, which has resulted in even more requests for aid.
“This is a very ambitious goal and we’re looking to our community for increased support to ensure we can continue to provide care for the thousands of animals that rely on us each year,” says Seattle Humane’s new executive director, Jessie Swisher Spiers, who spent the past four years as the organization’s chief advancement officer before taking the helm earlier this year. “The need is great and continues to grow. We’ve seen an uptick in requests for financial and veterinary support from pet owners here in our community, as well as increased transfer requests from overcrowded shelters around the country. We’re setting records at our Pet Food Bank, which currently serves about 1 million meals each year and we work with over 30 regional partners to ensure that community pets are happy and healthy with their loving families.”
The Day of Giving fundraising campaign will provide Seattle Humane the critical funds needed to rescue more vulnerable pets from overcrowded shelters, provide resources for pets and the people who love them, foster the next generation of animal advocates through humane education programs and champion the rights of pets and their families.
Seattle Humane’s efforts during this one-day fundraiser are being boosted by a generous group of donors who are providing a triple match, meaning every gift made during the campaign will go three times as far to support their lifesaving mission.
“We are truly grateful to have such wonderful friends of Seattle Humane ready to make sure every gift we receive during Day of Giving has an even greater impact in the lives of pets and their people,” Swisher Spiers says. “We hope their kindness inspires more people to join in helping us reach our goal. It is truly all of you to the rescue this Day of Giving.”
While Seattle Humane’s Day of Giving isn’t until Thursday, Sept. 19, supporters can make an early gift and still take advantage of the triple match at SeattleHumane.org/dayofgiving.