Scheduled Donations Help Animal Rescue Win $10,000
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.
![](https://communityfirstfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/I-Gave-Early-Badge-300x300.jpg)
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 10th 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