Demi’s Animal Rescue started in 2010 with 14-year old Demi Merritt rescuing just a few animals in her family home. A decade later, Demi’s serves more than 200 animals annually and distinguishes itself as a no-kill rescue. This means they do whatever they can to treat and foster even the toughest cases.

Demi’s only recently qualified to participate in Colorado Gives Day, and their first year has paid off in a big way.

After setting a modest goal of $5,000, they promoted the chance to win cash prizes and a portion of the $1.5 Million Incentive Fund. “In November we ran a $10 Tuesday campaign that encouraged people to schedule their Colorado Gives Day donations early,” said Jessica Roeger, Demi’s development manager.

Not only did they reach their goal, they were awarded a $10,000 Colorado Gives Day 10^th Anniversary Award from a brand-new donor. The donor’s name was drawn from among thousands of people who scheduled a donation for December 10. The donor chose Demi’s as a recipient because of the positive experiences she’d heard about.

“Winning $10,000 means a whole lot to a small organization like ours,” said Jessica. “It’s been a remarkable first campaign.”

Demi’s biggest expense by far is veterinary bills to treat sick and injured animals, including costly dental work. The $10,000 prize will go a long way in covering these expenses. “We try not to let medical costs be a barrier to the animals we can take in. It’s what makes us unique.”

SNAPSHOT
Fundraising Goal: $5,000
Raised: More than $15,000 (including incentive fund and prize winnings)
Method: “$10 Tuesday” Campaign in November
Tools: Colorado Gives Day Toolkit, including Scheduled Donations Copy and “I Gave Early” graphic