(12/16/13) By ARNO Staff
This is the time of year most people prefer to make donations to their favorite charity for a year end tax deduction. We certainly don’t want to discourage you from doing that. This year has been particularly lean for donations, but think it has been lean across the board for most non-profits who depend on donations to sustain their programs and their existence.
There are also a lot of people (statistics show about 46%) who prefer to give goods as opposed to money. On our donation link we state what we use and need on a regular basis (www.animalrescueneworleans.org/donate.html).
This year we are giving those who prefer to give goods a very easy way not only to order what we need, but no worry about shipping either. The shipping costs are built into your order amount. We have had great success since we started this in the last two weeks, and hoping you can help us reach our goal of ten weeks worth of food to stock our food pantry for our shelter pets and our indigent families and their pets as well.
The Holiday Food Drive is open and continues through December 31. Please consider helping to make our Food Drive successful, and then it will allow us to put the $500 a week we spend on just food to use elsewhere to assist our shelter pets. Medical costs on shelter pets is our largest expense and always will be, since the majority of pets we take in, or help in our Pet Retention Program (for low income or indigent families), are injured, senior, or have immediate health issues which have made them ‘unadoptable’ in other arenas. Most shelters can afford the medical expenses with a veterinarian on staff, but what they cannot afford is the time to get these pets well. Other than euthanasia, ‘time’ is the next biggest difference between no-kill and municipal shelters. Time is the resource that they have the least ability to give, whereas at ARNO’s shelter, time to heal and to rehab is the one resource we do have available as a no-kill shelter.
We appeal to you to give, if you are able, to our Holiday Food Drive, but more important, please pass on to other animal lovers who might want to help even in a small way. It all adds up! Here is the link to our food drive… quick and easy for anyone to give!
http://www.yougivegoods.com/MakeADifferenceForCompanionAnimals-2
Funds are always needed, too, so please consider making a monetary donation on our secure site via your credit card or electronic check at www.animalrescueneworleans.org/donate.html. If you want to mail us a check, make sure it’s dated before the end of the year to take as a tax deduction for 2013. Mail checks to 271 Plauche Street, New Orleans, LA 70123.
God bless you all, and hoping you have a very warm and wonderful holiday season. We thank you for all your gifts, your kindnesses, your volunteer hours and your donations. Without you, none of what we have accomplished for 7400+ pets would have been possible.