GOOD HOME
GOOD HOME
Good Home, a program of Greater Good Charities, connects qualified pet foster volunteers with animal shelters across the U.S. The program was born out of #StayHomeandFoster, a national effort created by Greater Good Charities that registered more than 92,000 pet volunteer fosters during the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe no pet should wait for an adopter in an animal shelter when it could wait in a Good Home.
In this post-pandemic era, animal shelters are facing economic hardships, staffing and veterinarian shortages, causing restrictions in their ability to care for pets.
According to a report released by Shelter Animals Count (SAC) in late October 2022, there are 7.3% more animals entering shelters than leaving so far this year. Additionally, stray dogs and owner surrendered cats are entering the shelters at their highest in 4 years
Greater Good Charities believes fostering pets is a key solution to the animal shelter overpopulation issue and finding at-risk pets forever homes. Fostering a pet helps free up personnel and physical resources at animal shelters while providing a shelter pet with a nurturing environment to live in, while awaiting a forever home.
Imagine you are a homeless dog or cat, waiting for a forever home in a shelter. You are scared, surrounded by unfamiliar smells and sounds, and by other pets. You might be in this situation for days or weeks.
Now, imagine you are a homeless dog or cat, waiting for a forever loving home in a Good Home. You spend your days relaxing, napping, playing, and interacting with loving humans who help place you with adopters who will care for you for your whole life.
Your tax-deductible gift will make this a reality for pets in need, by supporting our efforts to recruit pet foster volunteers and match them with animal shelters looking for help.
If you are a potential pet foster volunteer Good Home allows you to search for registered animal shelters near you to be matched with a pet in need. The animal shelter will work with you to find the right pet; Greater Good Charities does not have a searchable pet database.
At the time the animal shelter places a pet with a foster volunteer, the Good Home team is positioned to support the organization with resources to help care for the pet from foster to adoption.
Want to learn more? Check out our frequently asked questions section.
Greater Good Charities makes Good Home possible.
FidoFoster.org is a resource for the Good Home canine community that is focused on improving the care for homeless dogs by supporting a national network of foster caregivers and helping animal welfare organizations become foster-centric.
FelineFoster.org is a resource for the Good Home feline community that is focused on improving the care for homeless cats by supporting a national network of foster caregivers and helping animal welfare organizations become foster-centric.
Good Home is only possible thanks to donors like you and our generous partners and sponsors.
Rescue Bank provides grants to the animal rescue community in the form of donated pet food, delivered through our network of regional affiliates. We pay to ship the products directly from the donor to the affiliate’s warehouse. Affiliates then distribute these grants to pre-qualified recipients based on demonstrated need and verified census.
Pet food grants allow rescue organizations to transfer part of their food budget to much-needed services such as spay/neuter, vet services, facility maintenance or improvement, adoption events, etc.
Please select the appropriate application below to be considered for a pet food grant.
An “Eligible Rescue” rescues and provides shelter and care for animals that have been abused, injured, abandoned or are otherwise in need.
An “Eligible Rescue” shall meet the following criteria:
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501(c) 3 status described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), Internal Revenue Code 1986, and its subsequent amendments
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No breeding of animals occurs
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All animals shall be housed in a clean, comfortable, safe, species-appropriate, stimulating and enriching environment
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Spay or neuter all animals prior to adoption
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Must demonstrate a respect for quality of life and provide the most humane death possible for animals who are suffering or otherwise not suitable for adoption
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Has a sufficient number of qualified employees/ volunteers to provide the appropriate level of care for the animals
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Must have a comprehensive and effective adoption program
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Must have a means to independently verify the number of pets available for adoption (e.g., Petfinder page, adoption website), so that equitable distribution of food can be determined
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Must demonstrate need (e.g., limited financial resources) and fiscal responsibility
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Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers
An “Eligible Animal Shelter” rescues and provides shelter and care for animals that have been abused, injured, abandoned or are otherwise in need.
An “Eligible Animal Shelter” shall meet the following criteria:
- 501(c) 3 status described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), Internal Revenue Code 1986, and its subsequent amendments
- No breeding of animals occurs
- All animals shall be housed in a clean, comfortable, safe, species appropriate, stimulating and enriching environment
- Spay or neuter all animals prior to adoption
- Must demonstrate a respect for quality of life and provide the most humane death possible for animals who are suffering or otherwise not suitable for adoption
- Has a sufficient number of qualified employees/ volunteers to provide the appropriate level of care for the animals
- Must have a comprehensive and effective adoption program
- Must have a means to independently verify the number of pets available for adoption (e.g., Petfinder page, adoption website), so that equitable distribution of food can be determined.
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Must demonstrate need (e.g., limited financial resources) and fiscal responsibility
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Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers
An “Eligible Feral Cat Related Organization” is committed to improving the lives of feral and homeless cats.
An “Eligible Feral Cat Related Organization” shall meet the following criteria:
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501(c) 3 status described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), Internal Revenue Code 1986, and its subsequent amendments
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Actively participates in a “TNRF” Trap-Neuter-Return-Feed program as a long-term solution in controlling feral cat populations.
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Educates the public about the plight of stray and feral cats and the need to spay/neuter pets
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Must demonstrate need (e.g., limited financial resources) and fiscal responsibility
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Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers
Working with Greater Good Charities, Rescue Bank provides assistance in disaster and emergency situations. The very nature of an emergency makes setting strict criteria difficult. Each event will be evaluated by Greater Good Charities, Rescue Bank, our donors, and the nearest affiliate organization. We may temporarily suspend some of our recipient criteria to provide emergency relief. However, a group’s ability to work collaboratively will remain as a key qualification. We provide pet food and supplies in the following situations:
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Local, regional, and nationally-declared natural or man-made disasters (e.g. hurricanes, floods, fires)
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Multiple-animal rescues such as law enforcement actions
An “Eligible Pet Food Bank” is a community based organization serving as a resource for local individuals and families struggling to provide care for their pets. These are typically food banks, pantries or social service agencies with multiple assistance programs (e.g., rent assistance, elder care, animals on wheels).
An “Eligible Pet Food Bank” shall meet the following criteria:
- 501(c) 3 status described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), Internal Revenue Code 1986, and its subsequent amendments
- Must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and has successfully completed their most recent audit or independent review
- Has publicized screening and reporting capabilities that meet a generally-recognized standard for providing welfare assistance, such as State and Federal guidelines or Feeding America recommendations.
- And recipients...
- Agree that pets are for companionship and not for breeding or illegal activities
- Agree to maintain pets in a healthy condition
- Agree to not sell or return product
- Verifies recipients’ pets are spayed or neutered and provides spay or neuter education or information to those recipients whose pets are unaltered
- Has a sufficient number of qualified employees/ volunteers to provide the appropriate level of tracking and verifying need of applicants/recipients
- Must have an active website with information regarding the pet food program and instructions on how to apply
- Must have a means to independently verify “proof of need” whether it be through various means such as income, social security, etcetera
- Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers
- Must have appropriate storage facility or warehouse that meets reasonable standards established by our donors, By way of example, please review our Warehouse Inspection Report.
An “Eligible Dog / Cat Sanctuary” rescues and provides shelter and care for animals that have been abused, injured, abandoned or are otherwise in need.
An “Eligible Dog / Cat Sanctuary” shall meet the following criteria:
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501(c) 3 status described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), Internal Revenue Code 1986, and its subsequent amendments
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No breeding of animals occurs, must spay or neuter all animals residing in sanctuary
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Veterinary care is provided as appropriate
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All animals shall be housed in a clean, comfortable, safe, species-appropriate, stimulating and enriching environment
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Must demonstrate a respect for quality of life and provide the most humane death possible for animals who are suffering
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Has a sufficient number of qualified employees/ volunteers to provide the appropriate level of care for the animals
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Must have a comprehensive and effective adoption program for animals who are “adoptable”
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Must agree to periodic site visits to verify the number and condition of pets in their care.
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Must demonstrate need (e.g., limited financial resources) and fiscal responsibility
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Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers
Rescue Bank expanded! In 2017, we began a program called Supplies for Shelters. This program allows us to provide grants of various supplies such as veterinary products, enrichment toys, beds, blankets, and more. We are still committed to helping smaller, less visible animal welfare organizations. However, this program also includes larger organizations and municipal shelters.
Minimum requirements to apply:
-All animals shall be housed in a clean, comfortable, safe, species appropriate, stimulating and enriching environment.
-Spay or neuter all animals before adoption.
-Must demonstrate a respect for quality of life and provide the most humane death possible for animals who are suffering or otherwise not suitable for adoption.
-Have a sufficient number of qualified employees/volunteers to provide the appropriate level of care for the animals.
-Must have a comprehensive and effective adoption program.
-Must demonstrate a positive contribution to the community’s animal welfare resource, including positive relationships with peers.
If you would like to apply for a Supplies for Shelters grant, please fill out the form below. We will be in touch if your application is approved.
Make sure to check out our FAQ page for more information. If you still have questions, please email info@rescuebank.org.
Thank you for offering to be a hero to shelter pets searching for a forever loving home.
Pets, like people, need a place to feel safe; a place where they can be themselves. Many pets are entering a new, and more hopeful, chapter in their lives and foster heroes like YOU get these adoptable pets out of the shelter and into a comfortable home until they find their forever families. There's nothing more rewarding than successfully fostering a pet to adoption, and we are here to help you the whole way. All you have to do to get started is put in your address and preference in foster animal species below to find a shelter to apply to nearby.
Thank you for offering a Good Home for a pet in need!
Fostering is exciting! But, if it’s your first time, it may seem overwhelming. Good Home works to make this process as smooth as possible by pairing you with a shelter that has specifically expressed a need. If you aren’t finding a shelter near you, it may be that there aren’t any registered near you at this time; in this case, we encourage you to search for your local shelter and contact them directly to see if they need help.
If you are a first time Good Home foster, we’ve created a list of frequently asked questions for you to reference below.
Not only will fostering offset the downturn in adoptions and make room for the increase of incoming pets, with so many of us now at home, there has never been a better time, both for you and the animals, to foster. Pet companionship is scientifically proven to reduce stress, and you’ll be providing a crucial service to your local shelter—you’ll literally be saving lives by taking this action.
There are unlimited benefits to having a furry companion in your life. Among them:
- A loyal companion to keep you company as you ride out current stay-at-home orders
- reduced stress
- reduced anxiety
- reduced depression
- increased exercise and playfulness
- increased snuggles
- increased joy and love
- increase in overall FUN
Thank you for filling out the form! We are a service that connects potential fosters to our shelter network. If there is still a need in your area, someone from your local shelter will contact you directly. Thankfully, Good Home has had a tremendous response to the call to foster. Unfortunately, this has led to a longer than expected time between potential fosters filling out the form and hearing from a local shelter. If you have filled out the form and are still waiting to hear from someone, we encourage you to search Google to locate your local shelter(s) and contact them directly.
Thank you for stepping up to foster! If there is still a need in your area, someone from your local shelter will contact you directly to field all questions.
While every shelter is different, in almost all cases, the shelter that places the animal provides food, medicine, and veterinary care to the foster.
Most shelters have told us they are looking for people to foster for 1-2 months, but many shelters may be able to work with you to provide support so you can be your foster pet’s ambassador until they find a forever home. Your shelter will review all of this with you and address any questions or concerns you may have.
While every shelter is different, in almost all cases, the shelter that places the animal provides food, medicine, and veterinary care to the foster.
Yes! If you are fostering a cat, please visit felinefoster.org. If you are fostering a dog, please visit fidofoster.org.
- Utilize our easy to use social media toolkit here to get the word out by sharing readymade posts through your social media channels, encouraging your networks to foster.
- Donate to support the Good Home movement.
- Call your friends and family and encourage them to foster, help spread the word, and visit greatergood.org/good-home#signup.