By Annie Blumenfeld
You just went through the phase of excitedly explaining the concept, product, or website, etc. to your loved ones. Hands flaring in the air. Mouths dry. Now what? That can be the most difficult question to answer.
I faced this dilemma when I was fourteen years old after my family adopted our dog, Teddy, from Houston Shaggy Dog Rescue. Teddy suffered from heartworm disease back in Texas where he was treated for over a month, and stabilized with arsenic injections to kill the worms. He would then travel on a truck for three days to meet our family in Connecticut. It broke my heart to learn about what he went through. I wanted to know what I could do to help other shelter animals like him. During the first week of his arrival, a dog painting I had done was featured in a school art show. Two nice ladies approached me asking me if I was the artist and if I would be willing to paint their pets for them.
It was in the car ride home, where my nonprofit organization, Wags 4 Hope, was formed. I would sell custom animal portraits and give all the proceeds to shelter and rescue groups to fund animals like Teddy. It was wonderful that I had this idea, but I was soon plagued with many questions. How can I turn this into something tangible, something that would make a difference?
Start small
It is important to start somewhere, really, anywhere. Pick an aspect of your venture that is simple to do. Often times, just crossing something off your to-do list can be of great help. It can be as simple as creating an email account or to starting a social media account to attract followers.
Think about who you can work with (organizations, individuals, mentors)
Looking into who could be of help and who I could help was a very important step in the process. I sent out many emails sharing my idea, and it was well received by those I reached out to. This gave me the confidence I needed to further pursue my idea knowing that I could truly make a difference.
Reach out
I researched and explored many different avenues to raise awareness about my cause. From painting a local fire hydrant in my town to holding a community stand at a national sports game, I nearly tried it all. The interactions with individuals in my neighborhood were incredibly meaningful. Nothing is too big and nothing is too small to bring about a change. Give everything a chance because you do not know who you will meet that can help bring your idea to the next step. Most importantly, do not be afraid to contact someone. I send out many emails and make several phone calls throughout the course of the week to see if someone will feature my organization on their website and or make a donation, among other aspects. Send away because you never know what might happen!
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About Annie Blumenfeld
Annie Blumenfeld is a freshman at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She founded the 501(c)(3) animal-welfare nonprofit, Wags 4 Hope, when she was fourteen years old. Annie raises funds for shelters and rescues by selling her custom animal portraits. Her efforts have been highlighted by several national publications, including Dog Fancy, FIDO Friendly, and Good Morning America. In 2013, Annie was named one of five heroes making a difference by Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer. Due to her bill proposal and legislative efforts, the Connecticut Dog License now includes a heartworm disease awareness message. She is also a patent holder.