The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is pleased to announce its 2024 grants, awarding a total of $69,200 to companion animal (dogs, cats, and horses) nonprofit organizations, serving Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties. Since 2011, the Remy Fund has awarded over $649,000 in grants.
The 11 organizations awarded grants this year include Alabama Spay Neuter, Hand in Paw, Inc., Walker County Humane Society, Bama Bully Rescue, Kitty Kat Haven, Special Equestrians, Sugarbelle Foundation, and Birmingham AIDS Outreach.
The Remy Fund, a Field of Interest Fund of the Community Foundation, was established by Birmingham area community volunteer, animal lover, and philanthropist Ken Jackson, who has contributed more than $750,000 to the fund to honor the memory of his late dog, Remy. Jackson is also the donor of Remy’s Dog Park at Red Mountain Park.
As an endowed fund, the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services will continue to provide annual grants that fund local nonprofit organizations, providing services for dogs, cats, and horses.
The Remy Fund is supported by many generous donors, including significant donations from the Diane and Warren Ferguson Fund for Animals, the Jean K. Forman Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Anne Knight Townsend Fund for the Welfare of Animals.
Jackson states, “The Remy Fund continues to improve the lives of companion animals, and the humans they touch, in our community.”
Organizations receiving grants this year:
Alabama Spay Neuter, $10,000, for the Remy SNIP program, providing low cost spay/neuter surgeries, reducing the number of unwanted animals in our community.
Bama Bully Rescue, $7,500, to provide care and adoption services for bully breeds, and to support community dogs belonging to low-income owners.
Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BAO), $2,000, for the Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS)program, which provides food and services for pets of HIV positive individuals who require financial assistance.
The Country Cattery, $2,500, to support veterinary expenses, housing, and food costs for the animals in care, as well as the feeding of feral colonies.
Hand in Paw, Inc, $5,000, for the Wags for Wellness (Wags) program, a mental health and stress relief program that benefits healthcare workers and first responders.
KatDadde, Inc, $10,000, to support comprehensive care of rescued and outdoor colony cats, and to enhance their capacity to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome cats.
Kitty Kat Haven, $10,000, to support veterinary costs of the hundreds of cats and kittens KKH serves annually, including severely ill or injured animals.
Rescuers United for Furbabies (RUFF), $2,500, for the purchase of a new AC unit for current transport van.
Special Equestrians, $4,700, to provide comprehensive care for horses in their animal-assisted equine therapy program.
Sugarbelle Foundation, $5,000, to further the mission of keeping pets and people together by providing comprehensive medical care, safe shelter, and training/evaluations to pet owners in need, and for spay/neuter services.
Walker County Humane Society, $10,000, to provide spay and neuter resources in Walker County.
The Remy Fund Grant Committee conducts in-depth reviews of all grant applicants, including site visits with those applicants. The Remy Fund Grant Committee members include Debra Linton (Chair), Cathy Adams, Bert Gaddis DVM, Sheryl Kimerling, James “Murphy” Lynch DVM, Maggie McDonald, Isabel Rubio, Cameron Vowell, and Laura Wainwright. Ken Jackson serves as an ex-officio member of the Committee.
About The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services
Founded by philanthropist Ken Jackson in 2010, the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services provides grants to organizations that involve traditional companion animals (dogs, cats, and horses). To date, the Remy Fund has awarded more than $649,000 to support animal welfare.
If you share Ken’s “animal passion,” you can be part of the Remy Fund by making a gift online or by check mailed to Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, 1531 Third Ave. N., Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35203.
The 2025 grant cycle for the Remy Fund will open for applications in spring 2025. Learn more at The Remy Fund. For more information about grants, contact Meg Ford at mford@cfbham.org.