NORFOLK, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from December 31, 2021.
Beloved American icon Betty White passed away at the age of 99 on December 31, 2021. While she was known for her passion for acting, she also had another very important passion: animal advocacy.
White was frequently known to donate both her money and time to various non-profits, from the Morris Animal Foundation, which created the Betty White Wildlife Fund, to Guide Dogs for the Blind.
In light of her passing, a national movement has started where people are encouraged to donate to their local animal shelters or animal organizations in honor of what would have been her 100th birthday on January 17.
Here are several shelters across Hampton Roads that are participating in the #BettyWhiteChallenge in her memory:
- The Virginia Beach SPCA has set a Facebook fundraiser goal of $5,000 to be raised by January 17. As of January 12, It had raised $3,200. Click here if you're interested in donating.
- The Norfolk SPCA Adoption Center & Veterinary Clinics is participating in the challenge. You can click here if you're interested in donating. They also have a partnership with Elation Brewing where $1 for each pint purchased of their Brody's Barleywine or Bella the Black Dog brews will be donated in Betty's name.
- The Chesapeake Humane Society is participating in the challenge. You can click here if you're interested in donating.
- The Animal Aid Society in Hampton is participating in the challenge. You can click here to go to their Facebook page if you're interested in donating. They have a $1,000 goal.
- The Peninsula SPCA in Newport News had already raised more than $2,865 by the morning of Betty White's birthday for this challenge. If you want to donate, click here.
- Friends of the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter is collecting donations for the shelter so people can #BeLikeBetty. To donate, visit the FPRAS website.
- The Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society is closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but their online donations are still up. GMHS set a $2,000 donation goal for Betty White's birthday. If you want to help, click here.
- The Heritage Humane Society in Williamsburg is celebrating Betty White's birthday by remembering the time she visited in 2010. They're also accepting donations in her memory.
If you have an organization that has a special place in your heart that isn't on this list, reach out anyway! This isn't an exhaustive list, and there are so many shelters and groups that are always in need of donations to help our animal friends find their "furever" homes.