Jazzy’s Place - Grants
“Providing free dog food to people may not sound like much, but when you see the relief in the eyes of people as they pick up the food then you realize the pain and worry of being in a situation where you are struggling to provide your pet with food. We want to take this weight off people’s shoulders, let them know that they can come to Jazzy’s Place to get dog food, and that they will not have to surrender their dog to a shelter or let it go hungry for lack of resources. I am really proud of what we are doing, we are showing people someone truly cares about what they are going through and understands the love they have for their pets, and we are making sure those pets stay safe by their owner’s side.”
Ronnie Honigsbaum - Trustee
”Bring me your hungry, your poorly nourished, your vulnerable dogs,
seeking to be protected, fed, loved, and to love.
These devoted, affectionate souls in this harsh unforgiving world.
Send them, the unfed, the helpless, the less fortunate, to me”.
Inspired by the Emma Lazarus sonnet on the Statue of Liberty.
{5}The CBF funds the Colorado Pet Pantry and is seeking to support similar programs that would expand dog food distribution beyond what is covered by Feeding America®. The Colorado Pet Pantry partners with local food banks, pantries and other nonprofit groups that provide free dog food to households facing difficulties. All have been vetted, and have had their clients vetted, providing a very efficient distribution process that also reduces administrative costs and channels benefits to those truly in need.
[6] The Ronnie Honigsbaum Fund provides grants to municipalities that provide greatly discounted rates for spaying and neutering the exploding population of feral cats. Municipalities can apply by contacting the Ronnie Honigsbaum – Caplan Bensley Foundation at the Orange and Sullivan County Foundation in New York.
The Jazzy’s Place grant program is available to all food banks that have an existing organizational product sourcing structure in place for soliciting donated dog food and do not have an existing financial sponsor or benefactor providing dog food.
To participate in Jazzy’s Place grants, the food bank must be either (1) a member of the Feeding America® program or (2) a non-profit food distribution organization that provides a fully rigorous vetting process throughout their entire hierarchical chain.
Jazzy’s Place grants are distributed directly to each food bank on a continuing annual basis. Funds are to be used by the food banks and qualified food pantries solely to offset the approved shared-maintenance costs for households with dogs. Grant awards are not to be applied towards the purchase of dog or human food, but only to donated food obtained through the food bank’s own product sourcing efforts.
Grant funds may not be used to purchase cat food. CBF is concerned that providing similar grants for cat food would invite participants that feed feral cats. This is a major problem in many areas, as it brings more feral cats into that locality and potentially raises serious local conflicts. CBF seeks to avoid this sensitive issue and instead can refer inquiries to a separate CBF sponsored grant program that helps solve the feral cat problem facing many communities.[6]
The Jazzy’s Place grant initiative was established in 2013 to provide grants so that families no longer have to take food off the table or be forced to choose between feeding themselves or their beloved pet dogs.
This grant program is entirely subsidized by founders David Reid and Maria Bensley Caplan, providing free dog food to help households in need alleviate the burden of feeding their pet dog and themselves.
By giving dog food grants to those in need, Jazzy’s Place provides an immediate solution to people facing this dilemma. This way their beloved pet dog can remain at home rather than being abandoned or placed in an animal shelter.
Dog owners approaching animal shelters looking to abandon their pet dogs due to their inability to feed them will be directed to a nearby food pantry. Individuals and families can now live safely and comfortably together with their canine companion, fulfilling the CBF strategic objective of “Saving both ends of the Leash®”.
CBF believes that one of the most efficient and cost-effective distribution channels to families facing difficulties is through the Feeding America® program and its nationwide network of rigorously vetted regional food banks and local pantries. This increases the efficiency of the overall distribution process and reduces administrative costs, thus helping those truly in need.
The Jazzy’s Place grant program has been successfully implemented across the country by numerous Feeding America® food banks. New food banks are being added each year, along with their affiliated pantries, further expanding the base of dog food recipients benefiting from Jazzy’s Place grants.
CBF is looking to establish additional grant initiatives beyond this existing network to canine-focused non-profit organizations that will greatly expand dog food distribution to more individuals and families in need.
This would enable more dogs to remain at home, ensuring that they never have to be placed in an animal shelter or abandoned by their owners, and make dog food available to a wider audience of households {5}.
Jazzy's PLACE Dog Food Initiative
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