ASPCA Kicks off 2014 Rachael Ray $100K Challenge This Sunday at Shelters Nationwide
New York, NY (PRWEB) May 29, 2014 -- The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is gearing up for Sunday’s start of the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, where a total of $600,000 in prize grants is up for grabs to help shelters save more homeless cats and dogs.
The 50 contestants will work to save more animals during the months of June, July and August 2014 than they did over the same three-month period in 2013. Last year's competing shelters saved more than 56,000 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 12,050 over the same period in 2012.
"If you’re at all considering making a pet part of your family, then this contest – which will feature major adoption events and promotions in communities across the country for the next three months – is the perfect time to do just that," says Bert Troughton, vice president of Community Outreach at the ASPCA. "We’re gearing up for what we hope will be another record-breaking year, and the public will be an integral part of this life-saving mission."
The 50 contestants in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge are:
• Shelby Humane Society in Columbiana, Ala.
• Pinal County Animal Care in Casa Grande, Ariz.
• Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix, Ariz.
• HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Ariz.
• Burbank Animal Shelter in Burbank, Calif.
• Ventura County Animal Services in Camarillo, Calif.
• City of Chico Animal Shelter in Chico, Calif.
• Central California SPCA in Fresno, Calif.
• Moreno Valley Animal Shelter in Moreno Valley, Calif.
• City of Stockton Animal Services in Stockton, Calif.
• Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden, Colo.
• First State Animal Center - SPCA, Delaware in Camden, Del.
• Alachua County Animal Services in Gainesville, Fla.
• Clay County Animal Care and Control in Green Cove Springs, Fla.
• Osceola County Animal Services in St. Cloud, Fla.
• Gwinnett County Animal Welfare & Enforcement in Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society, Inc. in Thomasville, Ga.
• The Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, Ill.
• Humane Society Calumet Area in Munster, Ind.
• Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption in Mission, Kan.
• Coastal Humane Society in Brunswick, Maine
• Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) in Baltimore, Md.
• The Humane Society of Washington County, Inc. in Hagerstown, Md.
• Humane Society of Charles County in Waldorf, Md.
• Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center in Auburn Hills, Mich.
• Southern Pines Animal Shelter in Hattiesburg, Miss.
• Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Mo.
• Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees, N.J.
• Humane Society of Greater Dayton in Dayton, Ohio
• Humane Society of Delaware County in Delaware, Ohio
• The City of Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division in Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene, Ore.
• Anderson County P.A.W.S. in Anderson, S.C.
• Pet Helpers in Charleston, S.C.
• Spartanburg Humane Society in Spartanburg, S.C.
• McMinn Regional Humane Society in Athens, Tenn.
• Williamson County Animal Control and Adoption Center in Franklin, Tenn.
• Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County in Memphis, Tenn.
• Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Georgetown, Texas
• Houston Humane Society in Houston, Texas
• City of Pasadena (TX) Animal Control and Adoption in Pasadena, Texas
• San Antonio Animal Care Services in San Antonio, Texas
• Lynchburg Humane Society in Lynchburg, Va.
• Angels of Assisi in Roanoke, Va.
• Everett Animal Shelter in Everett, Wash.
• SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. in Spokane, Wash.
• The NOAH Center in Stanwood, Wash.
• Fox Valley Humane Association in Appleton, Wis.
The ASPCA and Rachael Ray will award a $100,000 grand prize to the shelter contestant that achieves the greatest increase in lives saved during this three-month period. The contestant that does the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals will win $25,000. Those organizations that do the best in their divisions will be eligible for between $10,000 and $25,000 in additional grants. In total, $600,000 in grant funding will be awarded for increases in animal lives saved, as well as a photo contest and general participation.
All her life, Rachael Ray has been an advocate for animals and a supporter of animal welfare groups. Her love for animals and for her pit bull, Isaboo, inspired her to create a pet food called Nutrish® to raise money for animals in need. Ray donates her proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® to organizations like the ASPCA so they can implement programs like the $100K Challenge and support shelters and animal organizations around the country.
The ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge is a groundbreaking contest that challenges animal shelters across the country to come up with innovative ways to engage their communities and get more homeless cats and dogs into loving homes. For information about the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit http://www.aspca.org/100K.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit http://www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
About Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray is best known as the host of the hit syndicated Emmy Award winning daytime television show “Rachael Ray” produced by CBS Television Distribution in association with Harpo Productions, Scripps Networks and Watch Entertainment. Rachael's warmth, energy, and boundless curiosity also reach millions of fans through her popular Food Network shows, her lifestyle magazine Everyday with Rachael Ray, her bestselling cookbooks, her digital home base http://www.rachaelray.com, her signature line of cookware manufactured by Meyer, her meal transport products by RR Accessories and her pantry products by Colavita. In 2007, Rachael launched the Yum-o! organization, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking and in 2008 she partnered with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to create a line of pet food with her proceeds being donated to organizations that help animals in need. For more information, visit http://www.rachaelray.com.
About Rachael’s Rescue ™ and Nutrish
In 2008, Rachael Ray partnered with pet nutrition experts from Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to develop a line of food and treats for dogs called Rachael Ray Nutrish®, and in 2014 introduced Nutrish for Cats, a line of natural food for cats. Rachael Ray Nutrish® for dogs is designed to meet a variety of nutritional needs, from Super Premium natural nutrition (original Nutrish recipes), to limited ingredient nutrition (Nutrish Just 6), to grain-free recipes (Nutrish Zero Grain), as well as six flavors of natural Wet Foods for Dogs (Nutrish Naturally Delish) and Nutrish Treats for Dogs. Rachael Ray Nutrish® for cats is offered in both dry and wet formulas, with real meat like chicken or fish as the first ingredient in the recipes. Rachael’s proceeds from each sale are donated to organizations that help animals in need through Rachael’s RescueTM.
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Alison Jimenez, ASPCA, http://www.ASPCA.org, +1 (347) 578-2242, [email protected]
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