ASPCA Announces Three Finalists for Community Engagement Award
In 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

One of these three shelters will win $25K grant, still in running for $100K grand prize

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced the three finalists in the running to win the $25,000 Community Engagement Award in the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge: Canyon County Animal Shelter in Caldwell, Idaho; Humane Society of South Mississippi in Gulfport, Miss.; and Humane Society for Greater Savannah in Savannah, Ga. All three shelters are also in the running to win the $100K grand prize in this national contest designed to inspire animal shelters across the country to save more lives. All of the winners in this year’s contest will be announced during simultaneous celebration events across the country on September 30, 2013.

“These three shelters did an amazing job of rallying their volunteer base, the media and the public in support behind them – and that’s in addition to saving at least 300 more animals during the contest period than they did a year ago,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. “They  inspired thousands of people helping to make a difference in the lives of homeless animals in their communities.”

The Community Engagement Award—a $25,000 grant—will be awarded to the contestant that did the best job of getting its community involved in saving more lives during the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. The three finalists were determined based on which received the most votes in a two week online voting portion of the contest. The winner will be selected from the three finalists by the ASPCA Grants Committee based on the following criteria: the number of people the contestant engaged during the challenge; the breadth of ways the community participated; and the level of community enthusiasm for saving homeless animals as evidenced by photos, stories, links, news coverage and videos posted on the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge website.

Forty-nine contestant shelters worked to save more animals – during the months of June, July and August 2013 – than they did over the same three-month period in 2012. In addition to the $25,000 Community Engagement Award, 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. 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 a portion of 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 more information about the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K.