SECU Foundation awards $1 million to SPCA Wake for state’s first regional campus for pets & people
RALEIGH, N.C. (October 29, 2024) — A $1 million challenge grant from SECU Foundation to SPCA of Wake County (SPCA Wake) will help the largest animal welfare organization in North Carolina establish a Regional Campus for Pets & People. The site will serve as a community hub to expand affordable pet care services and will include a new Learning Center that will provide more space to grow SPCA’s training capacity for new or potential pet owners and develop partnerships and programming for animal shelter professionals across the state.
SPCA Wake supports 59 counties, including many rural and under-resourced communities, to help match homeless pets with families, prevent animals from entering area shelters, and address animal suffering, neglect, and overpopulation. In 2022, SPCA placed over 4,250 pets in new homes, provided over 7,300 spay or neuter surgeries, managed 6,700 pet helpline requests, and supplied over 159,000 pet meals to owners in need.
“Pets bring people together and can provide a great source of comfort. It is our hope that the Foundation’s grant will shed light on the phenomenal work of SPCA Wake and the significant need for the new campus facility,” said SECU Foundation Board Chair Chris Ayers. “Our support along with that of many others will undoubtedly help SPCA Wake make a transformative impact in our communities.”
“We are honored to be a part of SECU Foundation’s legacy of positive impact across North Carolina, and we are humbled to be the first animal welfare organization to receive funding for a capital project,” said SPCA of Wake County President and CEO Kim Janzen. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community and the members of State Employees’ Credit Union, we have raised $20.3 million toward the total project goal of $27.5 million.”
SPCA Wake President and Chief Executive Officer Kim Janzen (center) surrounded by SPCA Wake and SECU Foundation board members.
About SECU and SECU Foundation
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 87 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $56 billion in assets. It serves more than 2.8 million members through 275 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, Member Services Support via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and the SECU Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $300 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.