My rescue group is BROKE. :(

[jenluckenbach]

One by One is having a severe crisis right now with lack of funds. Our vet bills alone are in the thousands of dollars. It is scarey.......what will happen to all the cats housed in our shelter if we can no longer afoord them?



PRAYERS for a miracle are needed. PRAY HARD!

ALSO............ANY ideas on fund raisers that really work??? What can we do to raise the bank balance? What do YOUR shelters do that really works for them?

Just go look at the wonderful cats we are helping at One by One Many of those will never be adopted but we knew they would always be safe with us. Now the future is uncertain.

[Craftlady]

Bake Sales in front of WalMarts
Car Washes
Donation Letters to previous adoption people
Yard Sales

Get the media involved

[mruffruff]

Our rescue is building two new buildings on a wing and a prayer. They have had some good results from yard sales, even though they already run a thrift store.

Also, they are selling memorial pavers. They will eventually be used to create a garden. Businesses can buy larger ones. I ordered one for my RB Ted E. Bear for $65.

If someone can get a newspaper or TV station to do a story (no matter how small) it can really help.

[Lizzie]

Jen - Of course, I had to look at the cats, even though I knew it would about break my heart. And, of course, I want to scoop up Napoleon, and Scrap/Colonel Mustard because they look so like my own beat-up old FIV+ boys, and Tara the broken, and the CH kittens because I'm learning from my own that these cats have a ultra-vibrant zest for life. So, are all of those in foster homes?

I'm afraid my vet has all my ready money, and all my owed money money also.

The shelter that I've adopted cats from holds two events per year to bring in funds. One is the "Average Joe" cat show where people pay to have their cats compete in categories such as "loudest purr" "strangest meow" "longest whiskers". The other is the "Black Cat Ball", held late in the year, at which they hold a silent auction of donated items. Do you have people who are particularly good at getting hold of businesses to ask for donations? Anyone who is good at writing grants? Can you advertise for volunteer development people?

[doolittleky]

I was going to suggest a Yard sale and phoning the media but I see it already has been suggested. What about setting up a booth somewhere were there is alot people and ask for donations? Do you have a cat show in your area in the near future? Alot of groups get a booth at the cat shows and get donations there. I can't think of anything else right now but if I do I will be sure to let you know. I do have an idea that a local group use to do here but it isn't a quick fix. The made a calender of peoples pets, they picked 12 out of all the entires they would get and then made a calencer and sold it. They did really well with it. Buit that wouyld take awhile to organize and get it done.
Melissa

[Glacier]

One of our most successful fundraisers is coin cans. The shelter has about 30 cans out at local businesses. They have a couple pictures of shelter residents and our website address on the labels. Someone picks them up monthly or whenever the business calls and says it's full. They are time consuming--lots of change to roll--but they bring in hundreds every month!

[Catty1]

Also - if a booth at a cat show is not timely or if it's costly...ask a friendly pet store or grocery store manager if you can set up a donations table. Maybe tie it in with a special event they are having!

The coin cans are good. I suggest some double sided tape on the bottom so people can't run off with them....some idiots do!

A cheap way is to use coffee cans with the plastic lids...and print out labels with the shelter name and pics on them.

HUGS

[catmandu]

Can you have people sponsor a Cat, or Kitten who cannot actually adopt one?
Our SPCA does quite well with thier sponsored Cats and Dogs.
Sadly this is going to come to a head with all these idiots not caring for thier Pets, and a lot of innocent animals are going to pay a very high price indeeed.

[jenluckenbach]

Keep the suggestions coming. I will be passing them along.

We do already have a "sponser a cat program". We do most of the cat shows in the area (as they are available). We also send out a newsletter (which is due to go out ASAP). Plus several other things.

Oh, to answer, NO, not all the cats are in foster homes. We have a building. It houses 50 to 60 cats. Probably more than half of these cats are life-timers as they have issues that prevent them from finding homes.

I'd sure like to come up with a real winner of an idea to bring in funds.

[Sevaede]

The ones here have rummage sales. Some do grooming. The one in eastern Oregon has its own thrift shop.

[elminster20]

All my ideas have already been posted, but I will say I hope you guys find a way to make ends meet, and good luck, I know the furry ones (and us, the not so furry ones) appreciate everything you do for them!

[orangemm]

In the foyer of our local library I have seen a donation box for animal shelters asking for donations of food, blankets, dishes, etc. (and money). They seem to get a lot of attention. Maybe your local libraries would go for that.

Thank you for helping all these unfortunate animals.

[smokey the elder]

My rescue group does something called a "calendar raffle" where each day of a month there's a dollar prize, which varies from $50 to $400. We have cleaned up with these. In fact, we are going from 2 to 3 a year by popular demand.

Our other large fundraiser is a penny social. We hit up merchants for donations, gift certificates, etc. Also people donate brand new items that they may have gotten as gifts but don't like. We have a 50/50 raffle table, and tables for larger prizes (bonus, super bonus) and a "basket of cheer" table.

We run a Christmas newsletter which often does quite well.

We have tag sales about every 2 months.

We are starting to apply for grants, but need to get better organized with paperwork.

We also have coin cans, and a booth at the local cat show where we can raffle stuff off. We usually do pretty well.

My pet project is to set up an antiques appraisal fair/silent auction where antique dealers pay to have a table, donate items for the silent auction, and get a few appraisers to appraise small items for a fee.

It sounds like you might have a higher budget than my organization. PM me if you want any figures or advice on logistics.

[kuhio98]

Jen ~ Check out this thread in General. Maybe your rescue would qualify with GOODSEARCH.com . If so, each time you use the search engine, 1 cent will go to the rescue.

[jenluckenbach]

Jen ~ Check out this thread in General. Maybe your rescue would qualify with GOODSEARCH.com . If so, each time you use the search engine, 1 cent will go to the rescue.

THANKS....I will get on this project!