IT'S TIME TO VOTE IN OUR FREE BUTTON MAKER GIVEAWAY!

Free Button Maker Giveaway - Click Here to Vote!

ABM is giving away a 2.25" Button Maker and supplies to the animal rescue our customers choose to help with launching their fund raising efforts!  Through your generous support of Buttons for Change and all of the great nominations you submitted, we are all able to help in bringing awareness to these wonderful groups.  

We received a total of 12 nominations, and this is the 3rd and final group of nominees.  That means, it's now time to vote!  Be sure and take time to review all 12 of the worthy organizations on our Button Blog and make your decision!  Go to the ballot now to pick your favorite.  Voting will be open until November 13th at 5:00 pm CST, which happens to be World Kindness Day.  What better way to celebrate kindness than by helping to give this kit to an organization dedicated to sharing kindness.

Without further delay, here they are, your final group of nominees:

1)  The Pixie Project (http://www.pixieproject.org/) - 

Amy Sacks is the founder and Executive Director of the Pixie Project. She’s been an animal lover her whole life, running a spay/neuter clinic and an animal adoption program in college and working with homeless youth to ensure that their animals were healthy and spayed/neutered. In 2006, Amy turned her passion into reality when she founded the Pixie Project.

The Pixie Project takes a hands on approach to ensure they are making the perfect match between families and pets for a lifelong relationship.  Not only are they building families, they also help to provide low cost veterinary care and life saving surgeries for pets who's family may be homeless or living on limited income so that they don't have to make a life or death decision based strictly on the ability to afford the needed care. These surgeries are a combination of spay/neuter and emergency services, including dental extractions, amputations, and mass removals with the goal to not only prevent overpopulation though easy access to spay/neuter surgeries, but to keep beloved pets in their existing homes.

2)  Shaw Pit Bull Rescue (http://www.shawpitbullrescue.com/) - 

Shaw PBR is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to saving abused, abandoned or neglected American Pit Bull Terriers.  They have over 50 years combined experience with pit bulls, and truly believe they are wonderful, loving animals that deserve the chance to have a good life. 

          

Originally intending to rehabilitate one to two dogs at a time, they now have 32 adopt-a-bulls and all are awaiting their forever homes. One major difference of Shaw PBR over most other rescues, and shelters is that all dogs that go to Shaw are at their facility until new homes are found. They do not utilize fosters. All dogs are in their personal care so that they can better monitor their health and answer any questions potential owners may have regarding behavior, etc.  They do not have a staff and all work full time jobs, on top of the rescue work. Thankfully, they have several dedicated volunteers that help with fundraisers, events, networking, dog socializing, 'doggie spa days', and grunt work.

3)  Compassion Without Borders (https://cwob.org/) - 

I'm so excited to be nominating the organization I work with, Compassion Without Borders.

Many years ago a graphic artists and soon to be veterinarian met in a bar in Mexico City. Sounds like the beginning of joke, right? But it's not - the two bonded over the despairing conditions of street animals in Mexico, how rampant the neglect and abuse was, and the lack of proper veterinary care. They bonded over other things too, but the animals are the best part of this story.

    

Fast forward a few years and Juan "Moncho" Camblor and Christi Camblor, DVM are the proud and tireless co-founders of CWOB, a 501(c)3 dedicated to making the lives of street animals in depressed areas of Mexico and the California Central Valley more promising.

This small family has grown a lot by attracting a family-like team of very talented and dedicated volunteers that share their passion. Since 2001 CWOB has saved thousands of animals through various rescue programs. We try to save and adopt out as many animals as possible, although providing basic medical care and spay/neuter to underserved communities and low to no-income pet parents is the main focus.  

From the website regarding our mission:

"We focus our efforts where the need is the greatest, ... where animals are the very least likely to be helped due to financial, geographic, and cultural barriers."

Recently CWOB received the amazing gift of a physical location with already installed kennels and lots of land for the dogs to run. The place does need some TLC though, and that's overhead we never had before. Because we're also housing some of the dogs we rescue we have that additional overhead too.

So why a button maker for CWOB? Well, because our co-founder is a graphic artist, and a good one too! We deal with people who are living under difficult circumstances. We try to make it as easy for them as it can be, and if it can be pretty then even better. We also deal with lots of kids, and if we can help them understand how important it is to care for the animals they encounter, whether they live in the street or in their homes, then we have a new generation of compassionate adults, and hopefully no homeless pets.

We could sell the button art that Moncho produces. We could produce buttons that the kids design which would help them feel more connected. We could use the buttons to educate people about care for their pets, spay neuter, and compassion in fun and interesting ways.  With Moncho's talents he could create wonderful wearable art that would convey our message of hope and compassion. We want to reach as many people as possible, in the warmest and kindest way possible. Please help us spread that message with art buttons! 

4)  Save Ohio Strays (http://www.saveohiostrays.org/) - 

Hello, My family and I fund raise for many organizations. One organization, Save Ohio Strays (SOS), is very near and dear to our hearts!  All of our pets are rescues.  We currently have two dogs and one cat that were adopted from SOS.  My daughter and I created a video on behalf of SOS to tell everyone about their cause.  We wanted to show everyone what a great organization they are!  

They do an amazing job for our furry friends!  When I first told founder Sandy Caldwell about the contest she told me “Honey, we are stretched so thin, I would not have anyone available to put something together for this contest or even design buttons.”  I told her we would handle everything.  When I sent her this video, she cried!  She was so thankful for us taking this on. If we were to win, we would use the supplies to make some cool buttons, magnets, etc to sell at their events! Both of my daughters enjoy designing!  So, on behalf of SOS, we submit this video!  The last picture in the video is of our dogs Ellie (beagle mix) and Maggie (shep/husky mix) who are both adopted from SOS! 

So there they are!  You have seen all 12 groups and now it is time to pick a winner!  Go to the ballot and let us know who touched your heart so we can share the button-y love.  Voting ends 11/13/17 at 5:00 pm CST.  Let's give some love and appreciation back to those who love the most helpless so selflessly.

Until next time, happy button making!

By Brighid Brown, Director of Blogging and All Things Cool at ABM