EVANSTON ANIMAL SHELTER ASSOCIATION

The Evanston Animal Shelter is a small animal shelter focused on providing quality care for the animals in our custody, but we also realize the importance of the human animal bond and have developed a number of community based programs designed to help people who are struggling with the demands of pet ownership to be able to keep their animals with them. Our current facility is small and antiquated, but a grant from Cook County has made it possible for us to work with the City of Evanston to design and build a new facility. Over the next 3 years we will work with the City to design and build the new facility, adapt our animal handling procedures and protocols for the new environment, and continue to adapt our social service programs to meet the needs of the community.

Our Strategic Planning Document outlines the steps we will take over the next 3 years to embrace the new facility and the positive impact it will have on our animals and the community, and to grow as an organization. Our plans fall into 5 themes:

1) Design, build and occupy the new facility
2) Enhance our social services model
3) Diversify our revenue streams to meet the growing needs of the community
4) Strengthen and diversify our Board
5) Enhance the well being of the animals in our custody

The Evanston Animal Shelter Association was formed in 2015. Our first goal was to change the Shelter from a high kill facility to No Kill status. This was achieved almost immediately. Since then we have turned our attention to the bigger picture, positioning ourselves as a resource to help pet owners in the community with everything from support from our Food Pantry to training advise. We have 4 full time and one part time employee and a dedicated volunteer base of approximately 75 people who actively provide direct care for our animals, and another larger group of people who provide animal transport, work with the Food Pantry, help with special events, etc.

The first big step was securing the Grant that allowed us to proceed. That was a huge accomplishment. Since then, the City of Evanston has engaged an architectural firm to oversee design and building of the new facility and the Evanston Animal Shelter Association has engaged a fundraising consultant to help us with our Capital Campaign. Of course all of this happened during a pandemic.