As briefly mentioned in the Director’s Notes, Harley’s Hope received a generous grant from Next50Initiatve to expand our Older Pet Parent Services (OPPS) program. We will be increasing our marketing and direct services to Colorado pet parents over the age of 50, particularly in areas of the state that do not have access to nonprofit or subsidized pet care. We will also be offering free pet first-aid training and supplies in these communities, too, as 24-hour veterinary clinics may not exist. To be clear, this training is not intended to replace veterinary care, but to provide pet parents basic knowledge on identifying true emergencies, addressing basic wound care, CPR, rescue breathing, and more.

We are very grateful to Next50Initiative for believing in the value of our work and the necessity of this expansion. This Colorado-based organization exists to combat ageism in America and to reframe how we view and discuss age-related issues and the treatment of older Americans. Next50Iniative first issued a grant to HHF in 2020 to assist with pandemic-related needs for our older clients. We’re very excited to be working with them and utilizing this grant in support of their vision and HHF’s mission. For more information on Next50Initiative, visit NextFifty Initiative (next50initiative.org)