Friends Helping Friends Foundation
The Friends Helping Friends Foundation is a community non-profit founded to have a profound impact on the quality of life for both the citizens of our community and our four-legged friends.
Our 501(c) (3) organization leads in resource development and advocacy for the success of Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control. Our goals are to organize and execute strategic fundraising events, with the hopes of reaching, educating and engaging the community to ensure the welfare of pets and animals in Cedar Rapids. Additionally, our volunteer board helps allocate necessary funding to emergency animal care, tests and surgical treatments, and supplies for Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control.
The Foundation orchestrates one large event each year, along with organizing additional smaller fundraising events such as wine tastings, arts and crafting workshops, silent auctions, shelter open houses, and adoption fairs. Our annual event, PAWS for Love, is a Valentine gala complete with tasty hors d’oeuvres, delicious treats, silent auction, and live music. These events and resulting funds have been allocated specifically to Cedar Rapids Animal Control to fund necessities such as vaccination and microchip clinics, medical equipment, emergency veterinary care, and amenities for animal comfort, with the ultimate goal of helping animals find their forever homes.
QUICK FACTS
Friends Helping Friends Foundation has supported so far:
- Fenced in a large 40’ x 60’ exercise yard for the dogs to enjoy time outdoors
- Purchased Kuranda towers, chairs, and exercise furniture for the communal cat condos
- Provided a ceiling-mount surgical light for the spay/neuter surgery suite
- Hosted rabies and microchip clinics for the public
- Co-hosted a Pet First Aid workshop and Animal Behavior and Assessment training for staff, volunteers and public
- Hosted a Forensic Photography and Animal Hoarding training for staff
- Supplied microchips to the Iowa Humane Alliance for cat identification in Community Cat Programming
- Funded Life-saving surgeries and foster care for dozens of adoptable pets such as Elfie, Annabelle, Moose, Frederick, Cassidy, Thumper, Rudy, Blackbeard, Hoss, Kringle, Sheba, Ellie, Barney and so many more.
- Cremation services
Friends Helping Friends future projects:
- Housing for pocket pets and other critters
- Webcam equipment for the kitty condo
- Sponsorship of Community Cat Programming
- Supplying the shelter with heartworm and feline leukemia testing kits for adoptable pets
- Continued community outreach and training programs
- Continued emergency care and treatment for sick and injured animals
