1 FUR 1 FOUNDATION
Helping Animals Heal People
Mission
1 FUR 1 Foundation helps animal assisted programs survive, thrive and spread healing powers to children and seniors with disabilities, always free-of-charge. Our mission is to support mutually beneficial endeavors that enhances the lives of animals and people in need.
Notes from the nonprofit
1 FUR 1 is different than most traditional foundations. We avoid one-size-fits-all and strive to make selective, focused evaluation an integral part of how we carry out our charitable work. The support we provide to program grant partners is solely focused on amplifying the impact of their work, increasing the benefit realized by the community and/or patients/participants. Our innovative hands-on approach; 1) Serves the most vulnerable population segments 2) Provides customized multi-faced aid for new or at-risk of programs 3) Supports our program partners for life rather than one-time transactions. 1 FUR 1 animal assisted partners are currently providing free-of-charge programs in select areas of MI, OH, CA, FL, NC, SC, TN, CT and NJ.
Ruling year
2014
Founder and Executive Director
Michelle Djonova
Main address
341 Anthony Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 USA
EIN
46-5204545
NTEE code
Animal Related Activities N.E.C. (D99)
Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (P99)
Public Foundations (T30)
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
1 FUR 1 Foundation is focused on helping those who need it most - children and seniors with disabilities. This part of the population is most susceptible to losing insurance and state assistance while on the path to recovery and wellness.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Programs
These include animal-assisted therapy (physical or emotional) designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, or cognitive function. Currently we're in partnership with two groups:
- Care House of Oakland County where we support their canine advocate program which offers assistance to child victims of sexual assault during their judicial proceedings. This service is offered for free across most Michigan state county court rooms, prosecutor's offices, victim advocacy centers and Medina County, OH. To date over 18,000 children have been helped.
- Hearts and Hooves Therapy where therapy mini horses work with children on the spectrum, hospital patients, medical students and disabled American on their journey to wellness. Their service area cover San Diego and San Bernadine County, CA. To date over close to 3,000 children with disabilities have been impacted.
Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) Programs
These include animal assisted activities which provide opportunities for motivation, education, or recreation to enhance quality of life. We currently offer two programs;
-The 17 gentle giants who are lifting the spirits of thousands of first responders, doctors and nurses who have been on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most are suffering from burnout, stress-related disorders and fatigue. This is the newest partnership which launched February 2021. TimberKnoll’s Spirit Cove brings Newfie Therapy has helped to over 38,842 first responders and medical workers across TN, SC, NC and NJ since they joined the 1 FUR 1 family in 2021.
-The 4 #HealingHooves bring joy to veterans and seniors with disability. These animal assisted activities offer cognitive stimulation and socialization needed for patient’s mental health. Kindred Spirits Therapy Minis, our partner, is the only certified mini horse program in the Florida panhandle offering relief for free thanks to our partnership
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of seniors and children with disabilities served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Seniors
Related Program
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total impact is measured by the number of children and seniors with disabilities who received free animal assisted therapy and/or activity sessions sponsored by 1 FUR 1 Foundations.
Number of animal interactions delivered, free-of-charge
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Seniors
Related Program
Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Impact is also measured by the total number of animal assisted therapy and/or activity sessions sponsored by 1 FUR 1 Foundations.
Number of healthcare facilities visited
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Seniors
Related Program
Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The total number of active facilities served at least once monthly showcases the reach of 1 FUR 1 Foundation.
Number of actively working animals
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Seniors
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
The total number of specially trained animals working to support children and seniors with disabilities.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
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?
1 FUR 1's goal is to offer free-of-charge animal assisted therapy and activities to any child and senior with disabilities in need. We can accomplish this goal by aiding animal assisted programs with large impact in the community that are developed by small nonprofits with operational annual revenue of less than $50,000 per year. Our intent is to help sustain and grow this impact during a multi-year partnership.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
1 FUR 1 Foundation's process starts with identifying small 501(c)3 nonprofits, assessing the right mix of health benefits for humans and animals, and then partnering with remarkable US-based animal assisted therapy and activity programs that can provide maximum impact in their community. 1 FUR 1 is unique because we provide not only funding but also logistical and strategic support – mentoring and providing our partners with the tools needed to create a positive impact for animal and patient.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a band of talented and skilled volunteers who have professional experience in corporate America. These individuals lend their time and skill to continues develop each program in a customized way in order to meet and exceed pre-set annual objectives.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We started with one canine impacting the lives of 5 people every month, in 2014. Last year's impact stats for 1 FUR 1 Foundation are:\n10,386 children and seniors with disabilities have benefited from 1 FUR 1’s animal assisted programs, always delivered free-of-charge \n\n46 Animals ( 39 dogs, 6 mini-horses, 1 mini donkey) are actively working every month to bring therapeutic healing to people in need\n\n1,971 animal assisted activity (AAA) and therapy (AAT) sessions have been done at hospitals, hospice, long-term care facilities, assisted living communities, courthouses, victim service agencies and offices. \n\n50 U.S. facilities across three states provide animal assisted therapy and activities to their patients, residents and clients.
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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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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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 take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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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, 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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- 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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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
1 FUR 1 FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 04/11/2023
Michelle Djonova
John Malone
Christina Mihailova
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? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
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? Yes -
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? Yes
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:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 05/02/2020GuideStar 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 have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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