The Great Companions Fund
10 Years of Impact
The Great Companions Fund’s 2024 grant cycle is now closed. Please check back next summer for information about the 2025 grant cycle.
“The purity of a person’s heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals.”
One Community Foundation fundholder certainly embraced this philosophy and, through a heartfelt bequest made ten years ago, has helped others experience the happiness animals can bring to the lives of people across the Garden State. The fundholder’s tireless devotion to animals will continue in perpetuity through a bequest in her will to establish the Great Companions Fund, an endowed fund that provides grants to causes and organizations that care for and work with companion animals and wildlife across the state.
As friends of the fundholder attested at the time, the legacy of this loving animal owner, award-winning trainer and dedicated supporter of rescue groups is an immeasurable affection for animals.
As a close friend of the fundholder pointed out, “This person’s great passion was always animals. Truly, the donor had a magic touch with them and thankfully, the Community Foundation’s efforts will continue this good work.”
The Great Companions Fund made its first grants to animal friendly non-profits in Spring 2013.
“This individual spent a good deal of time helping people better understand how animals can bring joy to our lives. The donor’s confidence in animals was, without a doubt, attributable to an assuredness in their ability if provided the right training and care,” said the fundholder’s attorney. “I introduced this animal lover to the Community Foundation because I knew it would identify organizations that would be consistent with this mission.”
Certainly, this trainer of and friend to creatures of all shapes and sizes recognized that the investment of time, love and compassion for animals never yields diminishing returns.
In 2022, the Great Companion’s 10th year of grantmaking, 17 organizations received grants.
Paws Give Me Purpose
Paws Give Me Purpose Incorporated is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, caring for and providing sanctuary to difficult to adopt dogs. They believe that all dogs deserve a second chance at life – especially seniors, those with physical disabilities, terminal illness, behavioral issues, and those that have been abused and need someone to care for, love, and understand them.
Located in Southern New Jersey, Paws Give Me Purpose is able to take in and provide for only a limited number of dogs at any given time.
For the Love of Birds
For The Love of Birds is a bird rescue operating in New Jersey and Philadelphia exclusively for charitable and educational purposes of companion birds through rescue, care and placement.
Instead of one central location, the birds are cared for in private foster homes throughout New Jersey and Philadelphia and given a healthy varied diet and lots of toys, until a suitable and loving new home is found. Each bird is an individual and is encouraged at their own pace to develop a sense of security, confidence and positive interaction with humans and to develop skills to succeed in their next home.
No Paw Left Behind Animal Rescue
No Paw Left Behind Animal Rescue is a small group of volunteers that takes in dogs and cats from Kill Shelters, or those that have been abandoned and unwanted. The volunteers fully vet all of their pets, love them, foster them, and find them forever homes through adoptions. The volunteers also educate the public on the importance of spaying & neutering, and proper vet care throughout the life of the pet.
Marty’s Place
Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary® provides a safe, loving and protected environment for senior dogs that do not have homes. Its residents are older – age 7 or beyond – and receive the physical and emotional comfort, companionship and enrichment they need to thrive in their golden years. At Marty’s Place, they find a home for life.
Bullmastiff Rescuers, Inc
Bullmastiff Rescuers, Inc. works with animal shelters (both private and public), Bullmastiff owners in need of assistance, and other legitimate rescue groups to aid in the care and placement of Bullmastiffs in need. Their focus is to provide for the safety of Bullmastiffs in need as quickly as possible by getting them into their foster care program. They specialize in senior and infirm dogs who are often overlooked.
MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue
MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue is a core group of 15 experienced volunteers with one mission – to help bulldogs in need. They provide the care, time and love the dogs need until they find their appropriate forever home. MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue volunteers provide a safe and loving home for bulldogs in transition.
Grateful Paws
Grateful Paws NJ is devoted to rescuing stray and abandoned animals throughout New Jersey, providing medical care, and helping them to find new homes. Their mission is twofold:
- Rescue, provide foster care, and find permanent homes for animals given up or abandoned by their owners, born outside, or in life-threatening danger.
- Work on the ‘trap, neuter, return’ or ‘TNR’ model for trapping feral cats, neutered/spayed, and then releasing them back to their colony. TNR is one of the most humane and effective ways of reducing the population of unwanted cats.
Grateful Paws also runs specialized programs to home animals including its Seniors for Seniors Program and its Host a Feral Cat Program.
Sedona Shepherd Sanctuary
Sedona Shepherd Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed for two purposes, to help rescue and find homes for adult and senior German Shepherd dogs in need and to help support other rescue and shelter organizations in the Northeast finding homes for German Shepherd dogs. Its mission is to be part of the effort to reduce the number of abandoned dogs and to help educate the public about dog ownership responsibilities and alternative solutions to providing a home for their dog or animals when circumstances no longer allow them to properly care for their dog.
Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue
CODAR is an all-breed canine-only animal rescue organization that was incorporated in June of 2003 in the state of New Jersey. They rescue dogs and puppies from high kill shelters and place them in temporary foster homes until a permanent home is found.
Lucky Paws Animal Assistance, Inc.
Lucky Paws assists in the relocation of unwanted companion animals from overpopulated areas to high demand areas. In addition, Lucky Paws Animal Assistance helps with veterinarian care and basic needs for the animals survival both locally and in southern states.
Pony Power Therapies
Pony Power Therapies is a non-profit organization that uses horses and an accessible farm to enhance the physical, social and emotional well-being of children and adults who need extra support.
Raptor Trust
The Raptor Trust is dedicated to the fulfillment of three primary missions:
- To provide free care and assistance to injured, sick, or orphaned wild birds.
- To educate people about wild birds, especially birds of prey.
- To provide a humane example for others.
The Seeing Eye
The Seeing Eye’s mission is to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind, through the use of specially trained Seeing Eye® dogs. In pursuit of this mission, The Seeing Eye breeds and raises puppies to become Seeing Eye dogs, trains Seeing Eye dogs to guide blind people, instructs blind people in the proper use, handling, and care of the dogs and conducts and supports research on canine health and development.
The Oasis Animal Sanctuary, Inc.
The Oasis Animal Sanctuary, Inc. is a non-profit facility that provides a non-extermination refuge for homeless companion animals, farm animals and other creatures. They provide food, shelter, medical attention, and plenty of loving kindness.
South Jersey Horse Rescue
South Jersey Horse Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit horse rescue and rehabilitation facility. Its mission is to provide a loving sanctuary to abandoned, neglected, abused and slaughter bound horses.
Animal Rescue Force
Animal Rescue Force is a private, non-profit 501c3 organization established in 1974 to find responsible homes for dogs and cats and to encourage all dog and cat owners to spay and neuter their pets.
Sea Turtle Recovery
Sea Turtle Recovery, STR, is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of sea turtles and educating the public on the important ecological role of sea turtles, threats endangering them, and ways to protect their future. The Sea Turtle Recovery is a separate nonprofit located inside Essex County Turtle Back Zoo. STR provides staffing, food, medicine, surgeries and other treatments to sick and injured sea turtles until they can be released back into the ocean. Sea Turtle Recovery also performs outreach throughout the region to raise awareness about sea turtles.
Great Companions Fund: 10 Years of Impact
For information on how to establish a fund:
Hans Dekker, President
hdekker@cfnj.org
For general information on the Foundation:
Faith Krueger, Chief Operating Officer
fkrueger@cfnj.org
For information on grants and programming:
Aaron Turner, Chief Philanthropic Officer
aturner@cfnj.org
For information on business advised funds and services:
Madeline Rivera, Program Officer
mrivera@cfnj.org
For information on scholarships:
Colleen Smith, Scholarship Program Officer
csmith@cfnj.org
For information on investment and financial matters:
Carolyn Lange, Chief Financial Officer
clange@cfnj.org
To make a grant from a donor advised fund:
Viridiana Solis Roman, Donor Services
vsolis@cfnj.org
Mailing Address:
Post Office Box 338
Morristown, NJ 07963-0338
Shipping Address:
35 Knox Hill Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: 973.267.5533
Fax: 973.267.2903