The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation today announced a three-year, $4 million grant to the Atlanta Humane Society (AHS). The capital grant will support the expansion of Atlanta Humane’s new westside campus and animal care center set to open in 2022.
“My family and I have always had a deep love for all animals, and I truly can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have a pet family member at home. Animals bring an abundance of love, joy and companionship to humans, and we need them just as much as they need us,” said Arthur M. Blank, Chairman, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “Protecting, improving and educating the community about animal welfare is a selfless, vital task, and we are honored to work with the Atlanta Humane Society to help bring this new center to life in hopes of continuing to support and pair thousands of animals with their new families.”
The five-acre campus, which will be named at a later date by Atlanta Humane and the Blank Family Foundation, will be located on Perry Boulevard, adjacent to the new westside Quarry Yards development. The campus will include an adoption, behavior and medical facility, landscaped walking trails, a memory garden and educational spaces for the community to gather.
“The support of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is truly transformational – not only to our new animal care center but to the future of animal welfare within our great city,” said Cal Morgan, President and CEO of the Atlanta Humane Society. “We are extremely grateful to The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for their commitment and aspirational leadership in emphasizing the importance of supporting the pets and people in our community.”
The new campus and animal care center will allow Atlanta Humane to create operational efficiencies so that it can increase its number of animal services including sheltering services; spaying/neutering animals; delivering medical services; and providing resource services to the community. Additionally, the new site will showcase a shelter built to efficiently respond to contemporary animal welfare issues, enhance its shelter medicine program, increase foster care and expand community engagement opportunities.
About the Atlanta Humane Society
The Atlanta Humane Society is a no-kill animal shelter serving more than 60,000 of Atlanta’s animals each year through various services including adoption, veterinary care, and community outreach. Last year, they provided 128,033 of these animal services to people and pets throughout Georgia and the Southeast. They operate out of three locations in metro Atlanta and help find thousands of animals loving homes each year. As Atlanta’s oldest non-religious nonprofit, they have been caring for the Atlanta community and its animals for more than 148 years. For more information, please visit atlantahumane.org.
About The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
After 25 years and more than $800 million in giving, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has committed to significantly accelerating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10+ years.
The Board is embarking on a journey of deeper learning and strategy setting for its new collective areas of giving, which include: Youth Development, with a focus on workforce development and economic mobility; Democracy, with a focus on key areas of Voting Rights, and Journalism; and Environment, with a focus on key areas of Conservation and Climate Resiliency. Across these portfolios, the Foundation will look for opportunities to address the growing crisis of disconnection in our nation. Geographically, much of the work will continue to prioritize Georgia (with a focus on Atlanta) and Montana, while also considering the potential for greater national impact and influence.
In addition to the collective areas of giving, the Foundation will continue to oversee a large portfolio of Founder-led initiatives, including investment in the transformation of Atlanta’s Westside neighborhoods, mental health and wellbeing, veterans and the military, and stuttering, among others. The Foundation will also continue to guide the seven Associate-led giving committees operating across the Blank Family of Businesses.
Mr. Blank, chairman of the Foundation, co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001.
For more information and to stay up to date, visit www.blankfoundation.org.
