Banfield Charitable Trust Celebrates Season of Giving with Record Breaking.(October 6, 2005)
PORTLAND, Ore. ~ The holiday season of giving is almost upon us and the Banfield Charitable Trust (BCT) has a lot to be thankful for: 2005 was a record breaking year of giving and of receiving. The Trust was established in the spring of 2003 and, although a young, nonprofit organization, has already surpassed its fundraising goals this year. “Support from our community partners and the veterinary profession has been incredible,” said Sandy Campbell, BCT President. “In a little over 2 years, we’ve been able to raise 1.5 million dollars for Pets and their families. I’m excited to see what the future brings and what more we can do to help our communities and our profession.”
Of course, raising funds is only the first step. The most exciting aspect of a successful year of fundraising is being able to give the funds away to those in need. In 2005 alone, the Trust was able to reach out to more than 2,500 families by providing free preventive Pet healthcare through their BCT Wellness Plan program. Each Banfield hospital was awarded five of these special Wellness Plans, and with more than 500 hospitals, the value of this program exceeds $1 million! “This was the first time the Trust was able to donate to clients and Pets in need on a local level,” said Campbell. “Many of our Plans will go to young families and senior citizens – both cases where Pets make a huge difference in quality of their life.”
In addition to giving away BCT Wellness Plans, hospitals raised BCT Charity Bucks throughout the year through donation boxes located in each hospital. Charity Bucks are awarded to clients and their Pets by local hospitals to help with hardship and emergency medical care.
Providing funding for emergency medical care was a necessity in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In response to the call for help from the animal care community, the Trust established a Hurricane Katrina Pet Relief Fund and kicked off donations with an $8,500 grant. To date, more than $31,000 has been collected through this fund, including a generous $10,000 donation from Bayer Healthcare. All donations made to BCT donation boxes from September 1-November 1, 2005 will go to help Pets affected by the hurricane. “The tragic events of Hurricane Katrina have been felt by people all over the world,” said Joerg Ohle, Bayer President. “It is during these hard times it is most important we support one another in providing quality care to Pets in need.”
BCT Grant Program
The Trust also expanded their community grant program in 2005. The BCT grant
program is a way for organizations to apply for funds to help make life better
for Pets and their families. This past year, a total of $43,310 was awarded to
eight organizations across the country. The next deadline to submit grant
applications will be January 20, 2006. Organizations can find out more about
these grants and funding priorities on the BCT website
www.banfieldcharitabletrust.net.
Fundraising Reaches New Heights
The Trust not only set records in giving money away, it broke its own records
in raising funds. The biggest fundraising event each year is the BCT auction
held during Banfield’s annual Pet Healthcare Industry Summit. This year,
Banfield’s industry partners opened up their hearts and wallets and tripled
donation totals from the previous year, raising $211,000 in one night. Major
donors of $5,000 or more included Pfizer, Fort Dodge, MWI, Bayer, Royal Canin,
Virbac, Merial, BAG Enterprises, Veterinary Learning Systems and Shering Plough
Animal Health.
Another major fundraising success in 2005 was the rabies vaccine donation program. For every rabies vaccine sold at a Banfield hospital, clients have the opportunity to donate fifty cents to the Trust. Through this program, the Trust will raise $325,000 in 2005!
The Banfield Charitable Trust was founded in response to Banfield team members’ requests for a way to take Banfield’s vision of treating Pets like family beyond the walls of the hospital. In addition to providing preventive care to clients in need, the Charitable Trust also supports childhood education about caring for Pets, veterinary education programs, and programs based on the family-Pet bond. The IRS has recognized the Banfield Charitable Trust as a 501(c)(3) public charity that is tax exempt. All donations are tax deductible. Visit www.banfieldcharitabletrust.net to learn more.
Banfield, The Pet Hospital is celebrating its golden anniversary in 2005. Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1955, Banfield has become the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the world, opening its 500th U.S. hospital in Broomfield, Colo. on October 29, 2005. In addition, the practice has two locations in the U.K. and one in Mexico. Banfield hospitals offer a full-range of comprehensive, medical services, computerized medical records, Pet preventive care plans, extended operating hours, and an extensive quality assurance program. Banfield, The Pet Hospital helps extend the lives of more than 3.5 million Pets each year.