The is one of only 95 animal shelters nationwide chosen to compete in the 2011 American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' $100K Challenge.
The contenders now must get supporters to vote online beginning Monday and running through April 15, and the 50 shelters with the most votes will go on to compete for more than $300,000 in prize grants, including a grand prize of $100,000.
“The idea behind the qualifying heat is to inspire communities to support their local shelters,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. “Casting a vote for your local shelter is a way of saying, ‘We care about the animals in our community and want to help our local shelter save animals.
"When people work together with their local shelters, more animals are saved, which has a positive impact on the entire community," Troughton said. "Our contest provides added incentive because the public can both help save animals in their community and bring important grant dollars to their local organization.”
During the 2011 ASPCA $100K Challenge, 50 animal shelters will compete to save at least 300 more animals—during the months of August, September, and October 2011— than they did over the same three-month period in 2010. The shelter with the biggest increase in animals saved will win a $100,000 grant for their shelter.
The agency that gets the most community members involved in saving animals will win a $25,000 grant, and those organizations that do the best in their regions will be eligible for between $5,000 and $25,000 in grants.
Fans and supporters can vote for their favorite shelter daily from April 4 through 15, and the 50 shelters with the most votes at the end of the qualifying heat will earn a spot in the ASPCA $100K Challenge.
To vote, visit www.votetosavelives.org.
