ASPCA grants more than $250,000 to help more than 100 organizations launch ‘Adoption Ambassadors’ programs

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced it has granted more than $250,000 to nearly 100 animal welfare organizations in 40 states across the country to help them launch local Adoption Ambassadors programs.

The Adoption Ambassadors program, originally developed at the Louisiana SPCA, empowers those who foster animals to become adoption counselors on behalf of their local shelters. Once they complete program orientations at participating shelters, ambassadors take home adoptable dogs or cats and pledge to help those animals find safe and loving homes through word of mouth, social media posts and emails to friends and family, or by hitting the streets with their foster pets. Ambassadors can even process adoptions themselves, returning adoption application/surveys and any applicable fees to the shelter.

The grant funding will enable the participating shelters to purchase tools and supplies they’ll need to run a successful program, including food, litter and other supplies for their fosters; marketing expenses to promote the program; and supplies to increase exposure, like “Adopt Me” vests and leashes, t-shirts and more.

This round of grant funding included two New Jersey groups: the Liberty Humane Society in Jersey City and St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison.