REGION – During the month of May, Senior Solutions will be celebrating the first anniversary of their expanded “Foxy Fund” by promoting a major fund drive to enhance the program. The Foxy Fund began many years ago as a way to help seniors pay their pets’ veterinary bills. The story of how that started with a client named Karl can be found on the Senior Solutions website. Then, in the spring of 2022, Senior Solutions received a $20,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, which enabled them to greatly expand the fund to include monthly deliveries of pet food to all clients who receive Meals on Wheels. As of May 1, this service is now available throughout their entire service area, covering Windham and Windsor Counties.
May – which is both Older Americans Month and National Pet Month – is the perfect time to celebrate our ability to help our senior residents care for their furry companions. A series of vignettes highlighting clients who have been helped by this fund will appear in social media ads throughout the month of May, asking readers to donate to increase the the funding level in this important program.
Studies have shown that Vermont has one of the highest pet ownership rates in the nation, and the single highest cat ownership rate in the nation; these studies also show that older Americans own pets at greater rates than the general public. Often, a pet may be the only constant companion to a senior who lives alone. Seniors who have pets have been shown to maintain better health, and see improvements in their cardiovascular systems as a result of caring for and being loved by a pet. Senior Solutions asks everyone to join in celebrating this important relationship by donating to the Foxy Fund this May. Client vignettes and donation information can be found at www.seniorsolutionsvt.org/giving/the-foxy-fund/.