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Finding Homes for Home’s Best Friend
Nothing compares to the warmth and comfort of being at home. But for many dogs across America, this feeling is foreign.
According to The Humane Society, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter shelters each year. Plus, almost three million healthy shelter pets are not adopted annually, and only about 30 percent of pets in homes come from shelters or rescues.
These sobering facts are what served as the inspiration the Coldwell Banker Homes for Dogs Project. After more than 100 years of helping people find homes, the real estate company extended its mission to man’s best friend with its “Homes for Dogs Project.” By partnering with Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website, the Coldwell Banker network has helped to find more than 20,000 dogs their furever homes.
To increase awareness of the effort, Coldwell Banker has focused its latest advertising campaign called “Old Dog New Dog” to capture the heartfelt story of an agent giving back to her community by helping shelter animals find homes through the “Homes for Dogs Project.”
The commercial features rescue dogs, such as Max, who was adopted in 2014 after being spotted on Adopt-a-Pet.com. Before he was put up for adoption, Max was picked up as a stray and delivered to a “high kill” shelter in San Bernadino, CA. The shelter only keeps dogs for five days before it puts them down, and after Max had been at the shelter for four days, a worker reached out to The Dexter Foundation, a local non-profit dog rescue and adoption agency, which quickly rescued Max and found temporary foster care for him.
“I found him on Adopt-a-Pet.com as I was looking for a dog to rescue of that sort of breed and age,” said Kelly Saffrey, Max’s current parent. “As soon as I saw his picture, I just knew he was the pet for me.”
Adopt-a-Pet.com currently has more than 15,000 shelters and rescues in its network, and it is thrilled to be partnering with Coldwell Banker.
“We share Coldwell Banker’s view that nothing turns a house into a home more quickly than the addition of a loving pet,” said Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. “And we are so inspired by the desire of Coldwell Banker to launch this amazing program.”
For more information on the “Homes for Dogs Project,” head to coldwellbanker.com/homesfordogs
Source: CB Blue Matter Blog
What Is Giving Tuesday and How Can I Give Back?
We spend Thanksgiving being grateful. A roof over our heads, loving family members, new and old friends, good health, and delicious Thanksgiving dinner are some of the things we are thankful for. Then we spend Black Friday and Cyber Monday scoping out great deals on goodies, perhaps for the people we are thankful for. Finally, we spend the Tuesday after Thanksgiving giving back to the community. Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to giving back to the community. Here are 3 ways you can get involved with Giving Tuesday.
1. Donate
Giving Tuesday is the perfect day to make your year-end donations or donate goods to your favorite charities. What are you most passionate about? Are you passionate about ending poverty, finding cure for a disease, achieving equality for all, or combatting climate change? Whatever your passion may be, you can find nonprofit organizations that can help you make a difference in the world.
Most importantly, do some research on the charity organization. Charity Navigator is a great online tool that evaluates charities. It offers charity assessments for thousands of organizations. Check out the organization’s rating, mission statement, and fund allocations.
Here are some of the charities that we are thankful for this year.
- Adopt-a-Pet.com
Adopt-a-Pet.com is North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website. Since 2015, the Coldwell Banker community and Adopt-a-Pet.com helped over 20,000 pets find their new homes through the Homes for Dogs Project.
- Move For Hunger
Move For Hunger works to reduce food waste and fight hunger. Their network of moving companies, real estate agents, and relocation professionals rescues non-perishable food from people who are moving and delivers it to local food banks.
Remember, if you decide to make monetary donations:
- Find out if your employer offers a matching gift program. Many companies often encourage their employees to give to the community by making a dollar-for-dollar matching contribution to the employee’s charity of choice.
- Keep records of your donations. Donations to qualified organizations may entitle you to a charitable contribution deduction against your income tax.
2. Volunteer
The gift of time is invaluable. Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet and connect with others in your community. Share your knowledge and expertise with an organization that supports the cause you care deeply about. You may even be able to build on your existing skills or learn new skills. Volunteer this Giving Tuesday or on an ongoing basis.
3. Advocate
Support a cause by giving your voice. You can be an influencer of political, economic, or social policies and practices. First, educate yourself on the important issue. Learn the facts on both sides of the issue to gain credibility. Then, start conversations and engage others to share the knowledge. It’s also a good idea to visit your elected officials and let them know why and how they can help with your cause. Find out who your Federal, State and Local Elected Officials are and how to contact them. Make your voices heard!
The love we give away is the only love we keep. You may decide to donate, volunteer, or advocate (or all the above) to participate in Giving Tuesday this year, but whatever you decide to do, become part of something bigger and meaningful. There is no better way to warm your grateful heart than to give back to the community.
Source: CB Blue Matter Blog
Coldwell Banker Offices Across America Team Up For National Adoption Weekend
Coldwell Banker and Adopt-a-Pet.com Host the Homes for Dogs National Adoption Weekend September 9-10, 2017
Su Amsden and Casey Lukowski with Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance in Long Beach, California, have always had a love for animals. So when Coldwell Banker launched a program to help find homes for adoptable dogs three years ago, they immediately got to work on hosting an adoption event in their own community.
“It was a no-brainer,” Amsden said. “There are thousands of shelter animals who need homes. Adoption gives them a second chance at life.”
On September 9-10, 2017, hundreds of Coldwell Banker Real Estate offices and animal shelters across the country are joining Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance for the Coldwell Banker Homes for Dogs National Adoption Weekend. The event is part of the “Homes for Dogs Project,” a program launched in 2015 by Coldwell Banker and Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website.
In 2015 alone, the project helped facilitate more than 20,000 adoptions through a national adoption weekend and countless local events like the ones Su and Casey hosted. Coldwell Banker made the “Homes for Dogs Project” the centerpiece of its advertising campaign to raise additional awareness. This past spring, the real estate brokerage dedicated its March 2017 commercial “Somebody to Love,” to the program, which was was applauded by the New York Times and rated one of the highest ranking ads of all time by Ace Metrix.
“Coldwell Banker is a unique position to touch local communities because of the sheer scope and passion of our network,” said David Marine, senior vice president of marketing, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “The ‘Homes for Dogs Project’ is more than just a campaign. It’s a unified movement that we can all rally around and know we are making a difference.”
Amsden and Lukowski agree. “Our event brings awareness to the community and is a great morale booster for the volunteers, most of whom are agents who work hard at what they do. This really brings joy to everyone involved,” said Lukowski.
Want to participate in the Homes for Dogs National Adoption Weekend? Visit: http://www.adoptapet.com/homesfordogs.
