SPCA Wake President/CEO Kim Janzen (center) surrounded by SPCA Wake and SECU Foundation board members. (Credit/SECU Foundation)
The latest major contribution from the SECU Foundation, the charitable arm of the $57.2 billion, Raleigh, N.C.-based SECU, will fund the development of a new facility for pets, pet owners, prospective pet owners and animal shelter professionals at North Carolina's largest animal welfare organization.
According to the Foundation, a $1 million challenge grant will help the SPCA of Wake County (SPCA Wake) build the Regional Campus for Pets & People, which will offer affordable pet care services and include a Learning Center that will enable SPCA to grow its training capacity for new or potential pet owners, as well as serve as a hub for partnerships and programming for animal shelter professionals in North Carolina.
"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," SPCA Wake President/CEO Kim Janzen stated. "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, which is dedicated to matching homeless pets with families, preventing animals from entering area shelters and address animal suffering, neglect and overpopulation, serves 59 counties in the state. In 2022, it 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, the Foundation said.
"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," SECU Foundation Board Chair Chris Ayers stated. "Our support along with that of many others will undoubtedly help SPCA Wake make a transformative impact in our communities."
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
