Why I’m going to Twive & Receive on June 14th

 Post by Dania Toscano Miwa

This year on June 14th I’m participating in Twive and Receive which is one day where over 100 cities mobilize their donors to give to a single nonprofit in their community. I have chosen the Animal Humane Society of the Twin Cities. I chose AHS because every dog and cat I’ve ever had growing up came from there.

For example, Samson was a German Shepard who was rejected by the police academy for being too nice. He was the smartest dog I’ve ever known and his favorite treats were peanuts.

Venus is the Siamese mix cat. She’s got a tiny delicate bone structure, but sounds like an elephant when she runs. She also puts up with me dressing her up in doll clothes when I was younger.And Barney, a newfoundland/lab mix, came with his name, a bright pink ball, and epilepsy, which was easily treated with medication. He was great at playing catch, and when we’d give him a choice, he would always pick a bright pink ball. That led to us joke that neon pink was his favorite color.It was always a huge family event when I was growing up to pick out an animal that needed a home. This was as good, if not better, than Christmas. Picking out our pets were some of my favorite childhood memories, and now I take my children to AHS to continue the tradition.Not only does The Animal Humane Society give surrendered animals and strays a second chance at a home, but they do so much more. They offer training and education classes, summer camps for kids, low cost spay/neuter programs and community events, like the Walk for Animals.

I live in the Twin Cities, land of 10,000 worthy nonprofits, and it was very hard to choose just one organization, so I made a list, and Animal Humane Society quickly rose to the top for me. These are some of my reasons:

1. They have been a significant part of my life, from the time I was a very young child and still today, as I mentioned above.
2. They are making a meaningful, measurable difference not only to me, but also in the community.
3. They are an accountable, transparent organization with an impeccable record, and as a fundraising consultant, that is very important to me. I need to know I’m giving and supporting organizations that are fiscally viable, honest and transparent.
4. I know many of the staff and I am continually impressed by how much they accomplish. In fact, they placed more than 14,000 animals in homes in their last fiscal year!
5. Everyone I’ve talked to has a story about how the Animal Humane Society has positively affected his or her lives.

These are a few of the reasons I support the Animal Humane Society. It is such an exciting opportunity to fundraise for them at to have a chance to help them to continue to do the important work of helping animals and the community.

I would really love your support for Twive & Receive on June 14th. Register now to be reminded on June 14th to give!