"Will Friend for Food" and The Art of Facebook Fundraising for Animal Shelters

Have you ever considered how animal shelters keep their supplies stocked for all of their animals? Nonprofit shelters' adoption fees are often less than what it costs to take care of the animal for it's lifetime at the shelter. When you consider all the money that it takes to care for a pet, it's no small task. Aside from all the things people generally think of when they hear, "pet supplies," like: beds, food, and brushes, shelters have to pay for vet bills and utilities to keep the facility running.

Since the invention of Facebook and the ability to create pages for nonprofits, shelters and their process of asking for donations has been transformed. Now, as a Facebook user, you can see integrated posts in your feed for what shelters need without even seeking it out. This is perfect for the animal lover that can't adopt but wants to help. Furthermore, now shelters have the ability to create Amazon wish lists that contain the exact supplies they need for each animal. You can purchase and ship without ever visiting the shelter which is what's so extraordinary! This small advancement opens up the pool of donors from a local level to a national level (or maybe even a global level if you have great social media engagement!).

I first saw this option being offered on the Watauga Humane Society's Facebook since I am one of their followers. They were sharing that the "pets" had just put up the Christmas tree and needed presents to put under it. The post looked something like this one:

Attached is a link to their wishlist which makes it super easy for viewers to engage with. Having the ability to ask for specific items is so crucial in any medical field as the professionals and volunteers will know what brands are best for the animals they're caring for.

As I explored the rest of the Watauga Humane Society's page, I saw that they were also utilizing the fairly new fundraising feature on Facebook. I looked at the fundraising history and it seems as though they always have a fundraiser in progress - smart! I wouldn't recommend that plan for a business but since they are a nonprofit, it's a good idea to have a place where someone can always donate. These were a couple of their fundraisers:

As you can see, their Giving Tuesday fundraiser raised over $1800! What a success!

Additionally, WHS also posts sponsored pets on their feed and events for the community. They deserve an A+ at social media management. I love their engagement, brand, and mission. It is so encouraging to see social media being used for good.

Next time you have a free afternoon, go volunteer at your local shelter! While you're there, see what events or fundraisers you can get involved in. If you can't physically visit a shelter, seek their Facebook page out and give them a like and share. Your engagement could save a life!