Built to Last: The FOS Mission, Brand, and our Commitment to the Animals We Serve
Monday, December 23, 2024
Friends of Strays is fortunate to have supporters from diverse backgrounds and expertise. Ben Kirby is the vice chair of the Board of Directors. He holds decades of experience as a communications and government relations professional in federal and local government, politics, the nonprofit sector, and issue advocacy. Here is his perspective.
Built to Last: The FOS Mission, Brand, and our Commitment to the Animals We Serve
2024 has been an extraordinary year for Friends of Strays.
This year, more than 1,600 cats and dogs found forever homes. We donated thousands pounds of food to local pantries in need. We hosted two drive-through food pantries and 3 microchip/vaccine clinics to the public, helping more than 200 pets and their families. And nearly 3,000 community cats went through our TNVR (trap, neuter, vaccinate, return) programs in Pinellas County. That's with several operational days left in December!
In early October, we hosted a successful “Wags & Whiskers” fundraiser, raising nearly $120,000 for the shelter.
Friends of Strays was named a 2024 Top Rated Nonprofit.
Our exciting expansion plans began to come to fruition. In July, we opened The Cat Box, a beautiful space just for felines. We immediately saw a positive shift in the behavior and stress levels of our adoptable cats.
And we are getting started soon on The Milkey Bone Dog House, which – with thanks to the Milkey Family Foundation – includes more kennels, expanded space, and a bigger and more engaging dog yard.
But like our neighbors in the Tampa Bay area, we also endured the burden of increased costs. We also persevered through Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, including evacuating 33 cats to Ten Lives Club, a no-kill organization in New York after Milton caused water damage to the Cat Box.
How did we not only persevere, but succeed through an active year with its share of challenges? With the help of our partners, and through your advocacy and support.
As we approach 2025, we are excited to have you be a part of the Friends of Strays family.
Share our content on social media. You can find us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. We regularly post news, alumni updates, and content about our animals.
Attend one of our events. We host regular events in the community – including at some of your favorite local breweries – as well as fundraising events. Join us!
We’re always looking for great partners. Whether it’s expanding our footprint or just spreading the word, we can’t do any of it without wonderful partners. We would love to have you and your organization be a part of Friends of Strays.
Do you have a story to tell? Friends of Strays is St. Petersburg’s oldest no-kill animal shelter. That means there are a lot of people in the area with a great Friends of Strays story. We’d love to hear yours.
Advocate. Encourage your friends and loved ones to seek out animal shelters when searching for a new companion. Whether they live locally or across the country, shelters everywhere are in need of support.
