Mission
The mission of this organization shall be to prevent cruelty to animals, to promote kindness to animals, and to conduct projects for the benefit and welfare of animals of Southern Ocean County, including providing funds for spay/neuter to prevent over-breeding, conducting a Trap-Neuter-Return Program with colony caretakers, providing additional medical/veterinary care for Southern Ocean County Animal Facility dogs and cats, and promoting shelter adoptions by volunteering at the shelter to walk dogs and socialize cats and through publicity and public events.
Notes from the nonprofit
Our organization has been instrumental in reducing the euthanasia rate at the Southern Ocean County Animal Facility by: - promoting adoptions through publicity & our presence at the shelter - showcasing cats for adoption at PetsMart (nearing 2,000 adoptions in 2022) - coordinating dog rescue transport & placement for special needs/temperament - rescuing and fostering kittens, placing them for adoption after spay/neuter, vaccinations, de-worming and microchipping, trapping and spay/neuter - feral cats which have all shots, spay/neuter, and microchip are placed back in their colony where they receive food, water, and shelter for life - starting a Pet Food Pantry for pet owners in need so they could afford to keep their pets. On average, we - adopt out over 500 cats and dogs each year to area families - support the shelter's care for 20 dogs + 50 cats in the shelter or in foster care each day - manage 20 feral cat colonies and over 100 strays (thereby enhancing public health & safety)
Ruling year
2013
President
Linda Cook
Vice President
Val Cranmer
Main address
P O Box 1162
Manahawkin, NJ 08050 USA
EIN
30-0445803
NTEE code
Animal Protection and Welfare (includes Humane Societies and SPCAs) (D20)
Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (W99)
Veterinary Services (D40)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2020, 2020 and 2020.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Feral Cat Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Stray, feral cats are identified, traps are placed at the location with permission of the property owner, trapped cat trap is covered and transported to one of three participating veterinary clinics/hospitals where they receive vaccinations and are sterilized, microchipped and treated for wounds, etc. Cats are then cared for by volunteers, for 1 to 4 days depending on sex and condition, then returned to the location where they were trapped. Someone at or near that location becomes a colony caregiver, providing food, water, and shelter (if possible) for the life of the cat.
PetSmart Cat Adoption Center
Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter operates the PetSmart Cat Adoption Center by providing cats/kittens, feeding cats/kittens, cleaning the cubicles, screening potential adopters, and adopting cats/kittens to responsible pet owners. Friends volunteers care for the cats/kittens daily and perform all adoptions.
Pet Food Pantry
A Pet Food Pantry to supply cat and dog food to pet owners in need of help to feed their pets is operated in conjunction with the Ocean Community Church Food Pantry, although not limited to the church parishioners. When people need help feeding their families, they may need help feeding their pets. With help, they may not need to surrender their pet to the shelter.
Dog and Cat Rescue
When dogs or cats are considered unadoptable by the shelter management or have been in the shelter for a long time, the Friends -- as a nonprofit rescue group -- works to locate a rescue or foster for the animal and posts it on websites such as Adopt-a-Pet/Petfinder, Facebook and our own website. Volunteers have driven long distances to transport animals to a reputable and suitable rescue for permanent home placement.
Shelter Dog Walking Program
New volunteers are trained by veteran volunteers to safely get dogs in/out of kennels, to leash/harness and walk them and how to properly socialize the dogs. Volunteers must be 21 years of age and possess sufficient strength/balance to work with dogs of all strengths and sizes. Dog walkers must be able to walk for extended periods of time.
Cat & Dog Adoption Services
FOSOCAS assists the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter with the promotion of dogs and cats available for adoption. FOSOCAS also promotes the permanent placement of fostered TNR kittens and works to assimilate them to domestic life.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The aims of the Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter are:
1. To promote the adoption of shelter dogs/cats and those in foster care.
2. To reduce the overpopulation of dogs and cats.
3. To reduce the euthanasia statistics in the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter.
4. To rescue cats/kittens born in the wild.
5. To raise funds for veterinary expenses associated with medical/surgical needs for shelter animals and the spay/neuter of cats and kittens in our TNR program.
6. To secure and fund suitable rescue for cats and dogs deemed unadoptable by shelter management.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To achieve the goals of our organizations, we:
1. Volunteer at the shelter by dog walking and cat interaction to further socialize and comfort shelter dogs and cats.
2. We publicize low coast spay/neuter facilities and and trap and neuter feral and stray cats.
3. In our Trap/Neuter/Return program, feral and stray cats are trapped and then spayed or neutered, vaccinated, de-wormed, de-flead, and microchipped by local participating veterinarians and returned to caregivers in the community. Sociable cats and kittens are put up for adoption in our local PetSmart cat adoption centers operated by our organization. Since cats are kittens living in the wild are rescued and then put up for adoption or returned to their caregiver, a significant number of feral cats are not sent to the shelter where feral cats are euthanized because they are not adoptable.
4. In addition to reducing the euthanasia rate of cats at the shelter, rescuing cats and kittens is the most humane method of population control and improving the lives of homeless cats.
5. Rescues are located for dogs who do not pass all the stringent temperaments tests and for cats that have not been adopted at the shelter, providing another opportunity for them to be adopted.
6. Since the medical/surgical needs for shelter pets which are beyond the scope of the county shelter veterinarian are costly, but necessary, to prevent the need to euthanize shelter pets with special medical/surgical needs, funds are raised by fundraising events, mail solicitation, and grants.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Many capable volunteers are dedicated to accomplishing the above goals by giving their time and their talents to writing publicity, organizing fundraisers, speaking to groups, TNR, fostering, and locating and transporting animals to rescues.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The progress listed above shows what we have accomplished.
We need additional funding to provide more medical/surgical care for animals in need and purchase more supplies to support the TNR program.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We serve individuals, families, and communities in Southern Ocean County, NJ, including Manahawkin, Long Beach Island, Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, Eagleswood, West Creek, Barnegat, Waretown and Forked River. We service anyone in need, regardless of income. Our mission is to prevent cruelty to animals, to promote kindness to animals, to conduct projects for the benefit and welfare of animals in Southern Ocean County, and to promote shelter pet adoptions through publicity and public relations. Our programs include: *TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) Program *Kitten/cat foster care *Shelter dog foster care *PetsMart Adoption Ctr *Shelter Dog Walking Program *Pet food pantry to reduce food insecurity & surrender among pet families
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To improve existing services, programs,and volunteer experiences, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We are currently spending more time discussing and developing more strategic planning around fundraising, communications, and marketing to better reach those we serve. Our ultimate goal is to connect people with pets. Having more consistent, reliable, and organized communications will be instrumental in our continued success.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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FRIENDS OF SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER INC
Board of directorsas of 03/06/2023
Linda Cook
Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter
Term: 2020 - 2024
Val Cramner
Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter
Term: 2022 - 2024
Claire Edelstein
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Carol Andrew
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Carol Andrew
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Carol Andrew
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Carol Andrew
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Dorothy Reynolds
Founder, Emeritus
Val Cramner
Friends of Southern Ocean Animal Shelter
Carol Andrew
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Connie Conlan
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Kathy Gross
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Cricket Luker
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Karen Simno
Friends of Southern Ocean CountyAnimal Shelter, Inc.
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/09/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
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