It’s the ultimate party for pet lovers who want to create change for animals in need: The Scarritt Foundation on Saturday will present the First Annual Fur Ball.
“We like to say, ‘We are changing lives, one tail at a time,’” said Adrienne Williams, founder of the Scarritt Foundation.
Launched last December, the foundation has a three-fold mission to support animal companions of the unhoused; provide critical veterinary care to pets whose families are facing financial hardship; and to support nonprofits that rescue, rehabilitate and re-home animals.
The foundation has been a lifetime in the making for Williams, who rescued her first cat as a child living in Sedona.
“Animals are so innocent and they don’t have a voice. This foundation supports all of the worthy causes that are there to support animals in need ... and all transparency — we report back to donors about exactly where the money goes,” said Williams.
Her passion for animals grew alongside her career, which segued into care for people. In 1999, Williams became the founder and CEO of Scarritt Group, which is dedicated to elevating the role of investigator meetings in clinical research. The company plans about 300 pharmaceutical events and meetings globally. Williams named it to honor the legacy of her family patriarch, Nathan Scarritt, who was a founding father of Kansas City and supporter of the women’s suffrage movement and women’s education.
She is excited to expand the family tradition of philanthropy through the Scarritt Foundation.
“I am at a place in life when I can afford to give back: I have the time and resources and want to see if I can create a tornado of giving for animals, if you will,” Williams said. “We are starting with a dust storm here in Tucson and I have been absolutely in awe of the community outreach and support we have received from the individuals, veterinarians who are volunteering time and resources, and from other 501c3s that have come forward too support our efforts.”
She decided to model the endeavor after a well-loved and time-tested local organization that has gifted more than $33 million to children’s charities over the past four decades: Angel Charity for Children.
“I have seen Angel Charity — which is just such a tremendous charity — providing grants for nonprofits that support children and I want to do that for animals,” Williams said. “We have more than 60 501c3 rescue organizations in Pima County that are rehabbing and rehoming animals and nonprofits that support pets of the unhoused and families in financial hardship. I don’t want to reinvent the wheel. These 501 c3s are already out there doing the heavy lifting and they don’t have the resources and the support to do fundraising to help support their efforts.”
Her goal is for the Scarritt Foundation to gift $250,000 in the first year, and it is well on its way. This past week, it gifted $50,000 to the Tucson Independent Veterinary Alliance (TIVA). Williams said veterinarians with TIVA have agreed to perform life-saving procedures at cost for animals who have excellent prognoses, but whose pet parents don’t have the finances to pay for treatment.
TIVA is one of multiple local veterinary organizations collaborating with the Scarritt Foundation to offer monthly PUP Outreaches, which provide wellness checks, vaccines and spay and neutering for the animals of the homeless and those who are housing unstable.
“Often pets are the sole emotional support for pole who are unhoused or housing unstable, and it is heartbreaking for these pet parents not to be able to provide care and support for their animals,” said Williams.
Currently, the foundation is assembling a grant selection committee and preparing to begin accepting grant proposals on Nov. 1, with a timeline to award grants to nonprofits by March 30. Grants fall into three categories: Mini Grants of up to $5,000 to support time-sensitive needs related to veterinary care, supplies and other services; Critical Care Grants up to $75,000 to support life-saving veterinary procedures or interventions; and Impact Grants of $75,000 to $200,000 to support broader programs in rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming. Nonprofits can go to https://www.scarrittfoundation.org/grants-1 to find more information about grants.
The upcoming Fur Ball, which Williams is calling “the philanthropic culinary event of the year,” is key to helping raise funds and promote awareness about the Scarritt Foundation’s mission of supporting compassion and empowering rescues.
“It’s going to be an incredible culinary experience ... and an evening to remember. We want to raise money for animals in need and create interest so people can help the Scarritt Foundation grow legs and run on its own. Our goal is for the foundation to be self-sustainable,” said Williams.
