Wednesday: Pets for the Elderly

This Wednesday, I'd like to share information with you about a wonderful organization--"Pets for the Elderly." Even in lean years, I've supported this group because I believe in what they do. From their website:

"The most serious disease for older persons is not cancer or heart disease - it's loneliness. Pets offer affection, unconditional love, fight loneliness, and can help ease the loss of a loved one.

The Pets for the Elderly Foundation helps pay the fees to participating animal shelters throughout the United States for senior citizens (age 60 and over) who adopt a companion dog or cat from a participating shelter — including pre-adoption veterinary exams and spay/neuter, if part of the adoption fee.
 
In 2010, the Pets for the Elderly Foundation assisted with the adoption of 5,770 companion animals.
 
Currently, 52 shelters in 29 states are participating in the program. Many more would like to participate, if funds were available.
 
We urgently need your help! Your monetary donation can make a difference. Few causes can have the potential benefits that will result from your contribution. You not only save the life of an animal, you can make a dramatic difference in the life of an elderly person."

What I find most compelling about this charity is that none of our donations go to pay ANY administrative fees. These fees are minimal--only 3% of their budget--and are completely covered by the founder's trust. So the five bucks you donate goes straight to the cause.

Think about it. The animals need a home. The seniors need companions to improve their quality of life. Why not connect the two? It's a win-win situation, and these guys are a small, grass-roots group that I am proud to support.

At least 6 times a year, I offer artwork on ebay to support Pets for the Elderly, and 100% of the money raised (it's an auction site--values vary) goes to this worthy non-profit. If you know of a group (for example, your church Youth Group, or a Boy Scout Troop) that is looking for a worthy charity to donate to, where just a little bit can mean a lot, please consider Pets for the Elderly.

The next time you feel that times are too tough, that your dollars can't stretch another inch, and you can't possibly donate to anybody, think about what a very small contribution to this organization can do. No, you won't get a tote bag or a bumper sticker, but you might get what I did a year or so back--a photograph sent in the mail of a happy lady with her new dog, with a "thanks" scrawled on the back in ballpoint pen. Priceless.