Charleston Animal Society Humane education programs get boost from Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust
March 5, 2018
The Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust awarded Charleston Animal Society $10,000 to support the shelter’s “Pet Buddies” and “Veterinary Science Initiative (VSI)” humane education programs.
Based in New York, the Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust has supported a variety of Charleston Animal Society’s innovative programs, including its free-roaming cat initiative.
In 2018, the Trust will help educate hundreds of children around the Lowcountry, through the Pet Buddies and VSI programs. Last year, Charleston Animal Society’s Humane Education Department gave 20,000 lessons to area students.
The Pet Buddies Club is a once-a-month program for grades 1-6. “We teach a 30-minute, interactive compassion lesson via stories, games, activities, movies, & presentations with the help of a canine ‘ambassadog,’” said Senior Director of Humane Education De Daltorio. Monthly visits build on knowledge and children learn all school year!
The VSI Program encourages teenagers to take an interest in science. The students get hands-on experience with animals, microscopes and other important tools. “Our initiative is nationally recognized, and research shows students who participate continue their interest in science, long after the VSI program ends,” said Daltorio. “We are so thankful that the Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust sees the value in building humanitarians, one child at a time!”
