AUGUST 2020 | ISSUE 8
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER Your Collective Impact 5,610 Volunteer Hours Served in 2020
As we adjust to this new reality, we focus on painting a picture of what life looks like as COVID-19 continues, and after it's run its course. We use our creative problem solving to think of what's possible, then make it happen. It's in this spirit that our ACL volunteers have remained dedicated to helping us catalyze animal welfare within our community!
Now, more than ever, nonprofit organizations need their constituents to rally behind them. We've been fortunate, and so very thankful, to have you by our side.
As a community, we can help each other overcome this temporary barrier and come out on the other side stronger for it!
STNETNOC FO ELBAT
OUR IMPACT
3
Our Up-to-date Numbers
PROGRAM UPDATES
4
A Letter from our Executive Director
TRAINING AND EVENTS
6
Mutt Strut Recap / Book Club
IN OUR COMMUNITY
10
Tree House Humane Society
JULY ADOPTIONS
12
The warm and fuzzies
THE SPOTLIGHT
13
Volunteers and pets
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OUR IMPACT
Committed to helping animals in the community since 1973
2020 INTAKE
2020 ADOPTIONS
2020 LOST PET REUNIONS
592
361
90
WHERE DO OUR ANIMALS COME FROM?
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PROGRAM UPDATES A L e t t e r F r o m Ou r E x e c u t i v e Di r e c t o r
As you know, we have been working hard while we have a little bit of a break in "normal operations" to rework our volunteer program to better serve the needs of the organization as well as better utilize our volunteer base. This includes creating and compiling resources that will help train and educate our volunteers, so keep an eye out for updates!
As many of you also know, we are still in the midst of COVID-19 and since numbers are now rising, our state is at risk moving backwards. ACL is continuing to take every precaution to keep our staff and essential volunteers safe and healthy. We will continue to keep traffic at the shelter to an absolute minimum, only allow the public into the building as needed via appointment and with a contact-less temperature check, require masks and practicing social distancing with every interaction.
We are still working to keep our essential business functions going. Lots of our approaches to how we will work have changed, and I am excited to share about all of that as we go.
I hope you have all remained safe, happy, and well!
Sincerely,
Kira Robson Executive Director Animal Care League
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SETADPU MARGORP
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM RENEWAL PROGRAM LEVELS, BENEFITS, & TIMELINE
Introducing Animal Care League's Volunteer Levels! We know that you're all excited to get back to the shelter to see the animals again, so here's the current trajectory of our new main volunteer program by month to keep you up-to-date. Please note that these items are subject to change.
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TRAINING & EVENTS
Animal Care League Volunteer Newsletter
AUGUST 2020, ISSUE 8
ACL's 2nd Chance Thrift Shop Fundraiser All year long!
Our 2nd Chance Thrift Shop is now open! Check out our Yelp! page for more information about our hours and services. Check out our Ebay page for contactless shopping. And keep in mind that as a volunteer, you receive 25% off your purchase at the shop!
People Magazine: World's Cutest Rescue Dog Contest Submission due date: August 10!
Looking to go for the gold and proove that your ACL Alumni is the cutest rescue dog in this whole wide world?! Now's your chance! Click here to enter your pup in Pedigree/People Magazine's World's Cutest Rescue Dog Content!
A Sound Beginning's FREE "Intro to Training" August 12, 2020 | 7:00-8:00 PM
"Whether you've just adopted a puppy or are fostering, this class will give you a solid understanding of what you can do NOW to help your pup gain confidence and learn how to navigate our world for a positive future." Click here to register.
THHS' Cat Walk Pub Crawl August 21-22, 2020
Cat Walk 2020 is social distancing! Enjoy 2 days of fun, prizes, takeout, and virtual get-togethers to keep the beer flowing for guests and the funding flowing for Chicago's Community Cats!
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GREATERGOOD.ORG
CLEAR THE SHELTERS
#PETOFTHEDAY
From August 1-8, Greater Good and CTS will match all adoptions fees up to $10k! Be sure to adopt your BFF this week to help homeless animals everywhere!
Clear the Shelters is virtual this year, and although adoption fees are not waived this year, our constituents have kindly decided to sponsor some pets' adoptions!
Each day we'll announce an ACL Pet of the Day on social media! Stay tuned for adoption specials and the goodest boys!
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MUTT STRUT
RECAP
FROM 5K TO $14K! Written by Quinn Lentz Mutt Strut 2020 was a blast!
Thank you to everyone who helped make Mutt Strut weekend happen, proving that our community will come together for animals in need even when we're apart.
Though the event was virtual, we still found many ways to stay engaged with one another remotely:
A local trainer put together a 30 Days to Mutt Strut 5k fitness plan to help us all prepare together We had participants go above and beyond in their fundraising efforts, getting their networks involved in advocating for homeless animals We ran or walked together, just in our own neighborhoods We shared photos of our results and triumphant 5k finishes And, we celebrated together during our virtual post-race party live streamed on ACL's Facebook!
Overall, we raised nearly $14,000 for homeless pets! Every single dollar will be used to feed, house, and provide medical care for the animals that come through our doors. We can't wait for next year!
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Join
us
for
EAGUE'S ANIMAL CARE L
BOOK CLUB
e ic d ju e r P b d n lu a C e k o id o r B P r Voluntee
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Check out this month's read!
Get 10% off your VBC book club purchase with The Book Table! Use the coupon code "ACLVBC" when checking out. Click here for more VBC info!
IN OUR COMMUNITY
TREE HOUSE HUMANE SOCIETY
"We empower communities of caregivers to protect, nurture, and support new solutions so no cat suffers."
TREE HOUSE'S ROOTS Much like the Animal Care
Cat Program exists to provide
overpopulation, thus an end to
League, Tree House Humane
community education and
suffering cats. Cats are able to
Society was founded in the early
empowerment, among other
sexually reproduce at about 6
1970's by a group of dedicated
projects (listed below).
months of age. Each female cat can have 1-12 kittens per litter
volunteers whose mission was to ensure that every cat thrives,
Meanwhile, in 2007, Chicago
and are able to reproduce nearly
which remains the core of the
officials passed a legislative
5 times per year. Thus, one
organization's mission to this day.
ordinance making it legal for
female cat can birth up to 120
nonprofit organizations to care
kittens within a 2 year span, and
Throughout the years, THHS has
for community cats through TNR
her babies will birth even more!
remained "THE cat place" for all
(Trap, Neuter, and Return)
resources concerning cats within
practices, vaccinations, and
In this context, you can imagine
Chicagoland communities. As
colony sponsorship. Animal
how TNR is able to humanely end
such, in 2005, THHS opened a
welfare supporters were (and
this cycle. Here at ACL we receive
Community Cat Program, ran by
remain) ecstatic about this
many phone calls on behalf of
Sarah Liss (pictured
ordinance for 2 main reasons:
community cats from concerned
below/center). The Community
TNR provides a route to end
citizens. In fact, so many that in
TREE HOUSE HUMANE SOCIETY
IN OUR COMMUNITY
When asked about her vision for the future of community cats, Olivia Radziszewski, Community Cats Counselor (pictured top right), answered "... to work from the insideout to get TNR taken care of starting with our Colony Caretakers." Olivia, like her THHS and ACL team members, is passionate about finding humane solutions that will put an end to the cycle of cat overpopulation through TNR, education, and advocacy! Interested in getting involved with TNR operations in our community? No problem! Follow the below links to help THHS and ACL achieve our life-saving
PHOTO BY MARTIN R. SMITH
work!
What THHS Offers July 2020, we reached out to Sarah and underwent Community
Feral Cat Colony Management
Cat 101 Counseling training presented by THHS' Community
services
Cats Counselor, Caroline Brown (pictured above/bottom) to
Cats at Work
refresh our knowledge on feral community cats to empower
Barn Cats (in-progress!)
our community.
TNR (1,077 procedures in 2019!) Pet Food Pantry items donated to
Since we (ACL) are working to include TNR in our future clinic
Colony Caretakers
services, we're also thrilled to collaborate with THHS to expand
Community Cat Counseling services
our collective reach for community cats within Chicago, and
via phone, chat, and email
Oak Park and its surrounding villages.
Quarterly organizational updates via THHS online magazine publication,
One way that our community members can help is by simply
"The CATalyst"
registering as a Colony Caretaker for community cats in their area. THHS is just one organzation that will sponsor the colony and work with Colony Caretakers to ensure that all cats are treated with respect while also helping stabilize the population through TNR efforts. In fact, THHS currently sponsors over 1,000 community cat colonies! That's right, over one thousand colonies!
1.
Code of Ordinances of Cook County, Illinois. 2006. Ord. No. 07-O-72, 10-16-2007.
TREE HOUSE HUMANE SOCIETY
*****
DOGS
SMALL MAMMALS
CATS
Dino
Darling
Amber
Bing
Lollipop
Bugsy
Fella
Zeus
Benny
Golly Gee
Gumdrop
Cassidy
Chad
Bentley
Tink
Esmeralda
Chomp
Charlie
Caroline
Teddy
Beluga
Bob
Lemur
Turbo
Walton
Stoli
Moonlight
Falcon
Bailey
Jimmy
Neft
Scarlet
Misty
Calliope
Chica
Haski
Ash
Catalie
Bucky
Putinka
Andy
Apricat
Clyde
Borsch
Basic
Meowgaret
Reno
Cecelia
Butters
Van Meowisson
Fiddo
Shrimpy
Catsby
Ozzy
Val
Sharky
Rain
Artemis
Tanner
Dolphina
Earth
Tot
Sky
Monkee
Daisy
Buttons
Wilikers
Keke
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July Pets of the Week Stella Blue, Corey, Hudson, and Daisy
Every week our staff selects one of our residents as "Shelter Pet of the Week" to highlight their progress as they wait for their forever homes. Check out who made the list last month! Want to nominate a Shelter Pet of the Week? Fill out this form!
Volunteer Spotlight Ann Carlson and Jeannine Deubel
Jeannine (pictured right) and Ann (pictured left) have each been dedicated ACL volunteers for years. These two ladies enjoy working in our 2nd Chance Thrift Shop; Jeannine thoroughly enjoys (and is wonderful with) researching the value of donated vintage and collectable items, and even refers to herself as a bonafide "thrift store junkie." Ann is renouned through our 2nd Chance Shop as "The Jewely Lady" for her outstanding work with preparing our beautiful jewelry displays, she also has superb organizational and cleaning skills!
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HELP WANTED In the event that a member of our ACL community were to experience complications with COVID-19, we're ready to help! If you'd like to provide help, or receive help, such as give dogs the exercise they need while their human recovers, making or receiving a home made mask, pick up or drop off supplies, etc. Then sign up for Volunteer for Volunteers today!
We want to provide the best care possible for our animals, and that's why we need to create a contingency care plan during times of crisis. Click here for information on how to get started with your own plan, and help others get prepared!
Interested in donating to our cause, but can't spare the extra cash? No problem! Visit our Amazon Smile page, where Amazon will donate a portion of your regular purchases to ACL. Click here to get started!
We're piloting our first ever Pet Food Pantry in effort to support both ends of the leash! As this program evolves we'll need volunteers who can help us call social work agencies, assemble care packages, and pick-up and deliver supplies. We're also in need of Pet Food Pantry donations! Contact Jordan for more information!
Suggestions on how we can improve this newsletter?
Want to receive a downloadable copy?
WANT YOUR WORK PUBLISHED IN OUR NEWSLETTER? SEND A SAMPLE TO JORDAN!
Contact Jordan, your Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@animalcareleague.org
ANIMAL
CARE LEAGUE
1011 Garfield Oak Park, IL. 60304 (708) 848-8155
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