Heartland Rescue Ranch: Build-A-Bear Youth Humane Education Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The Build-A-Bear Humane Education Grant helped Heartland Rescue Ranch educate hundreds of children in Bay County. We used the funding mainly to host field trips and family-fun days where children could have fun while learning. We were able to bring out 150 girls who attend Girls, Inc., a lower-income daycare-type program. We had a day for families that are caring for and have adopted children from the foster-care system. One day we hosted a group from Bethel Village, a drug-rehab facility for women. These women were able to spend the day with their children at the rescue.

We also purchased supplies that will continue to help our education programs: visual aides; a costume for our mascot, Henry the Heartland hound; books; etc.

How many pets did this grant help?

100s

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

We were also able to put together a booklet that I have wanted to do for a long time, as well as a one-page sheet of pet life-expectancy timelines. The booklet I would love to share with other rescues — just some fun tidbits about various pets, but the main thing we want to teach children is that pets are not disposable; they are a lifetime commitment.