Traverse City area residents Anna Taylor and Barb Cross both love animals deeply.
Taylor has served as a foster “parent” for dozens of retired greyhound racing dogs and Cross has incorporated dogs into her social work practice, primarily working with sexually abused women and children.
Both were looking for a way to reduce animal suffering and provide ongoing support to animals and animal rescue organizations in the five-county Grand Traverse region that covers Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Setting up their estates to fund a permanent animal welfare endowment made perfect sense. They worked with Pam Amundsen, donor services manager of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, to establish the fund. Beginning in September, animal rescue organizations, including volunteer-run groups, can apply for funds to cover services like spaying and neutering, emergency and life-saving veterinarian surgeries, trap-neuter-release programs, foster program assistance, and education.
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The Grand Traverse Region Community Foundation was founded in 1992 when a group of community members came together with a shared vision to give back to the Grand Traverse region then, now, and forever. The foundation continues to engage in collaborative leadership efforts; funding nonprofit, governmental, educational, and Tribal organizations; supporting local students; and building endowments that leave a lasting impact in the community.
“We work with financial advisors,” Amundsen said. “We know the needs of the non-profits, so we pick up that role for local experts. We are the charitable giving experts.”
Cross grew up with dogs, always loved them and used them extensively in her Traverse City outpatient mental health clinic.
"Animals are the way to bridge rapport and they’re good for our mental health,” she said. “They’re great medicine.”
She said the endowment is meant to protect animals.
“Throughout my 40-year career, I had my toe on the front line of dysfunction in the community,” she said. “I saw a lot of trauma in children whose animals were being abused. This provides a voice for animals because they can’t speak for themselves.”
Taylor has opened her Old Mission Peninsula home in Traverse City to foster animals for years. She has fostered greyhounds through Greyhound Retirement Adoption Care and Education, (G.R.A.C.E.) based in Belleville. She has also fostered cats through TC Paws cat rescue and the Cherryland Humane Society.
“I have a big heart for animals. I’m never without one,” she said.
She wants to do everything she can to ensure that pets can stay with their families, are well cared for and not relinquished. She has noticed an increased need for animal welfare resources in rural communities, especially since the pandemic.
“I’ve learned a lot about why people give up their animals and it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.
A death in the family, chronic illness, job loss and unexpected vet bills can all contribute to animals needing to be rehomed. Weather or climate-related crises like hurricanes and flooding in other states have also meant that abandoned or lost pets are sometimes sent north to Michigan for care.
“We’ve all read the news and heard the national dialogue about rising costs,” Amundsen said, noting that the endowment can help fill the financial gaps for animals in need.
“I feel good about leaving the planet with something in place,” Taylor said. “There was no animal welfare fund and that’s where I want my money to go.”
She is especially pleased that the Animal Welfare Endowment puts a priority on smaller organizations, including those that are run by volunteers.
“I believe animals need help and humans need education,” Taylor said. “Every animal has a right to be loved and to thrive.”
Taylor is looking for meaningful educational opportunities regarding proper pet care and resources.
“The educational piece will come from awareness,” she said. “This a great first step.”
Cross agreed: “We want to help people keep their pets because they’re family members,” she said, acknowledging that while some people are abusive, most pet owners are caring people who sometimes need help to provide proper care.
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Pam Amundsen, donor services manager for the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.Before creating the endowment, Amundsen met separately with the women and their financial planners. Upon learning that they had the same goals, she suggested that it made sense to combine efforts and to establish one endowment together.
Because the fund is new, awareness is just beginning to spread. She explained that funds from the endowment are available to organizations with 503c tax exempt, nonprofit status, schools, and government and tribal entities.
Amundsen has been pleased that some of her coworkers, also animal lovers, have already made donations to the fund.
In addition, two other animal welfare funds have been established. Leah’s Legacy Endowment is available for emergency vet care services through the Cherryland Humane Society, and the Robert L. Martin Kalkaska Animal Endowment provides support for animal welfare in Kalkaska County through the Kalkaska County Animal Control office.
Amundsen also noted that Traverse City-based Riley’s Candles donates a portion of proceeds to help pet owners cover emergency veterinary bills. One hundred percent of all donations to Riley’s Candles goes toward life-saving efforts for pets.
“There’s really great funding happening around this topic,” Amundsen said.
She encourages animal lovers in other communities to contact their local community foundation to learn about existing endowments or to work toward establishing new funds. “In addition to animal welfare, animal rights need to be respected,” she said.
This is the first year that grants from the Animal Welfare Endowment are available.
They are part of the fall grant cycle. Cross and Taylor are enthusiastic about spreading the word.
"My wish is to do everything in my power to get my friends and family to make committed donations every month,” Cross said. “It’s about making people aware.”
To learn more about the Animal Welfare Endowment, go to
Animal Welfare Endowment | GTR Community Foundation. To make a one-time or recurring donation, go to
Animal Welfare Endowment.
Muskegon native Dawn Kemp has been writing about people and places throughout Michigan for more than 30 years. She lives in Kalamazoo with her husband and dog and is learning to play the ukulele.