Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Deyo.
Hi Grace, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
FOJA, an all-volunteer organization, was formed in 2008 and is dedicated to the well-being of homeless animals received by Animal Care and Protective Services. Each year, the shelter takes in thousands of unwanted, abused, and neglected animals.
Our focus is to end unnecessary euthanasia, educate the public about responsible pet ownership, and enrich the lives of shelter animals. All funds donated to FOJA go directly toward achieving these goals.
It is FOJA’s mission to help.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Each year brings different challenges, we never know what types of animals will need care or how extensive their needs are when they come through ACPS intake. Recently, kitten season has been rough with thousands of neonatal and young kittens needing fosters and the supplies to do so.
We’ve also seen a few major orthopedic cases in recent years, some of which did not heal as smoothly as expected. Ultimately, our focus is on the animal and quality of life, so whatever additional care, we covered to ensure the animal was happy, healthy, and adaptable.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are an all-volunteer team and 99% of our donations go to help the animals. We only spend what is required on postage and our 501c3 fees.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Like most non-profits, we were hit hard by our reduction of in-person events. However, our supporters have come through in a number of ways. We’ve had many successful online auctions, naming contests, and have seen our social media engagement triple.
We are now looking to use our support base to find a few new volunteers who may want to help us continue our social media growth!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://friendsofjaxanimals.com/
- Instagram: @Fojajax
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FOJAjax/
