New Endowment Program Makes Enduring Commitment to People, Animals

    SAN JOSE, CA, May 18, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Thanks to the resounding success of its recently completed "Paint a Better Future" campaign, Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) has now turned its fundraising focus to the launch of a new endowment fund. Through this new endowment fund, HSSV encourages supporters to name endowments in memory or honor of a loved one, a beloved pet, or in the family's name. Named endowments begin at $25,000 or more, and can be established over three years. The goal of HSSV's endowment fund is to ensure animal-welfare progress and innovation in the community for generations to come. Several donors have already participated.

Conni Ahart and Clint Severson's recent $1 million gift supports multiple areas of HSSV's work. They were the first to create a named $250,000 endowment at HSSV, The Conni Ahart and Clint Severson Shelter Medicine Endowment, to support HSSV's Chief of Shelter Medicine role. The remainder of their $1M gift is a $125,000 expendable gift to support Regional Rescue expansion programs, a $200,000 gift to help underwrite HSSV's new Mobile Wellness Waggin' to expand its Spay/Neuter services locally and beyond, a $125,000 expendable gift to support Disaster Recovery planning, and a $100,000 gift to help HSSV explore and expand its newest programs to help people and animals together, Community Development. The remaining $200,000 of the gift is dedicated to establishing a President's Discretionary Fund.

"HSSV makes things happen," says Clint, when speaking of their gift. "What impressed me was the fact that everything is measured and you can see the positive impact in the community. It's exciting to be part of that."

Steve Hughes is another donor that has recently made a $50,000 named endowment gift, "The Steve Hughes and His Little Cat Posse Endowment."

"In 2020, I was one of the first people to participate in HSSV's new endowment program," he says. "What appealed to me was the ability to direct the use of my donation to specific areas that were important to me. In my case, I chose Regional Rescue and Special Medical Fund for Felines — the former because HSSV maximizes the number of cats that will be going to good homes by working with other shelters, and the latter because the team that works in that area is so dedicated to their little charges, and they do their best to ensure that even cats with disabilities are adoptable."

"We're focused on building this endowment to ensure that, as an organization, we can continue to be an innovator in animal welfare and be a safety net for our community for many years to come," says HSSV president Kurt Krukenberg. "Donors who give to our endowment help us to ensure that we have financial support for the programs that are critical to our mission, as well as position us to grow."

Those interested in learning more about HSSV's endowment program should visit HSSV.org/endowment.

About Humane Society Silicon Valley: Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is an independent, privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving people and pets for over 90 years. In 2017, HSSV became the first organization ever to earn model shelter status according to the guidelines set forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. As an independent non-profit organization, HSSV does not receive funding from Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA or state and federal government entities. HSSV offers quality adoptions, affordable spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping services, pet care services and education programs to enhance the human-animal bond. Established in 1929, HSSV has adopted more than 500,000 animals into permanent, loving homes. Animal welfare is their top priority and their mission is to save and enhance lives. For more information, visit HSSV.org.

About Kurt Krukenberg: Kurt Krukenberg joined Humane Society Silicon Valley as President in January 2020 after previously serving as Chair of HSSV's Board of Directors. He is thrilled to lead a talented and passionate team that is advancing the cause of animal welfare locally, regionally, and nationally through shelter medicine, scalable rescue partnerships, effective homeless animal prevention strategies, and innovative community engagement programs.

Prior to HSSV, Kurt spent 20 years helping companies create sustainable growth in a variety of operating and advisory roles. As an executive coach, he worked with business and nonprofit leaders to design effective organizations, build high-performing teams, and develop their own leadership skills. As a management consultant at Oliver Wyman, Kurt led engagements for Fortune 500 clients in media, technology, healthcare, and life sciences. He also has deep cross-functional experience in marketing, sales, and product development at industry-leading technology companies including HP/Agilent and Tektronix.

Kurt received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University. Kurt is eternally grateful to have been rescued by his wife Charu and their dogs including Cooper, a pittie/chihuahua mix and proud HSSV alum. For more information, visit HSSV.org.

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