The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, in its 15th year of grantmaking, awarded a record $90,500 to nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of animals, and the humans they touch, in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties.
Birmingham area philanthropist and community volunteer Ken Jackson established the Remy Fund in 2010 and, since 2011, the Remy Fund has awarded almost $740,000 in grants to support diverse organizations.
The 2025 Remy Fund grant recipients include: Alabama Spay/Neuter, Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue, Shelby Humane Society, Walker County Humane Society, Hand in Paw, Inc., Rescuers United for Furbabies (RUFF), Animal Shelter of Pell City, Inc., Sugarbelle Foundation, Special Equestrians, The Red Barn Foundation, and Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BAO).
The Remy Fund is a custom field of interest fund at the Community Foundation. Jackson, who also has a donor-advised fund with the Community Foundation, said that establishing the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Foundation was an easy decision.
“The Community Foundation is a trusted organization, confirmed with their leadership, board of directors, and the positive impact they continue to have in our community,” he said.
Jackson endowed the Remy Fund to provide continued annual funding to diverse nonprofits that focus on improving the lives of dogs, cats, and horses, and their humans, in our community.
Comfort and Peace
The Remy Fund is named for Jackson’s Jack Russell Shih Tzu, Remy, who passed away in 2009.
“She was always there to provide comfort and peace during challenging times, especially during the passing of my father and mother, and I’m convinced that dogs, cats, and horses [companion animals] not only improve our lives but also are able to provide unique therapy to those in need,” Jackson said.
He’s been an animal lover all his life. As a child, Jackson was always feeding and befriending neighborhood dogs, and as an adult, he found his pets to not only be remarkable companions, but also perceptive judges of character.
Jackson is also the donor of Remy’s Dog Park at Red Mountain Park. He currently lives with his cat, Martin, and enjoys daily visits from a family of deer that live in the woods near his home.
Strong Leadership, Clear Mission
When asked what type of animal service organizations the Remy Fund seeks to support, Jackson said the Remy Fund Grant Committee reviews applications from animal-focused nonprofits, evaluating their leadership, detailed financial information, and mission. The committee also conducts virtual and in-person site visits as required.
Grant committee members for the Remy Fund include Debra Linton (Chair), Cathy Adams, Bert Gaddis DVM, Sheryl Kimerling, Murphy Lynch DVM, Maggie McDonald, Isabel Rubio, Cameron Vowell, and Laura Wainwright. Ken Jackson serves as an ex-officio member of the Committee.
The Remy Fund reviews applications once a year. Grant applications for 2026 will be accepted from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Jackson encourages people to contribute to local nonprofits, rather than national organizations that often spend a significant amount of their donations on executive salaries, marketing, and advertising.
“Donations to organizations in our community will benefit and stay in our community,” he said.
Leaving a Legacy
The Remy Fund continues to receive donations from charitable funds and individuals who believe in the fund’s mission and see it as an effective way to support a diverse group of animal organizations that continue to make a positive impact in our community.
“I do not have children to carry on my legacy,” Jackson said. “Establishing and endowing the Remy Fund will ensure that I will leave something that will benefit the animals and the humans they touch in our community…forever. The Remy Fund for pets and animal services is my legacy.”
Learn more about the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services. To learn more about leaving your own legacy, visit Give Tomorrow.