SUGAR LAND, Texas – An 8-year-old girl’s love for animals led her to do something big.
“One day I’m like, ‘Hey mom, I wanna do this,’ I’m like, it can be fun!” Sam Porter said.
Fun for Porter meant finding a way to raise money for local animal rescues.
Her inspiration was Jenni’s Rescue Ranch, a charitable organization based in Alvin, Texas. The nonprofit is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and finding forever homes for the many animals left on the streets, often times in horrible condition.
“My goal was to raise $1,000,” Porter said.
She learned about the ranch from her teacher, Mrs. Anita Benedettini Joseph.
Joseph is a volunteer with the nonprofit. She said when she is not in the classroom, she is helping to find fosters, raise awareness and often talks with her kids at Sienna Crossing Elementary about being a voice for the voiceless.
“We talk a lot about rescuing and giving back to the community and really the whole year is citizenship,” Joseph said. “With great power comes great responsibilities, the smallest voices carry the most power.”
Armed with that vote of confidence, Porter got to work. Her parents helped her create the Facebook group called, “Fido’s Friends.”
“Once she came up with the shirt design, this is one of the stickers,” her mother said.
Porter helped design the logo and put it on 25 T-shirts and stickers, which she sold in about a week.
When her neighborhood heard about her goal to help out Jenni’s Rescue Ranch, the donations poured in.
“It was really motivating to see how many people wanted to support it,” Porter’s mother said.
The grand total raised was more than $1,100. Porter presented the check to Joseph in May on career day.
It’s that kind of hard work and generosity Joseph said is rubbing off on Porter’s classmates. She said the rest of the class is also showing an interest in helping animals.
“Microchipping, spay and neuter, and the issues that we have here in Houston. And it was great the questions they were asking,” Joseph said.
Porter raised the money from 46 donations over a two-week span. She is now in the process of selecting the next animal rescue nonprofit to help.
Click here if you’d like more information on Fido’s Friends.