The Newport Beach Animal Shelter had its official ribbon cutting ceremony on May 25, but the honors and accolades have just begun.
Friends of Newport Beach Animal Shelter (FONBAS) has officially been awarded one of California’s 2023 Nonprofits of the Year after being nominated by California Assemblymember Diane Dixon, a former Mayor of Newport Beach.
FONBAS is one of more than one hundred nonprofits that were honored at the Capitol this week by their state senators and assemblymembers for outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.
The Nonprofit of the Year initiative reportedly provides the opportunity for each California state legislator to choose a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district. The program culminated with a recognition ceremony at the Capitol on California Nonprofits Day, which this year was June 7.
According to information from FONBAS, the organization is dedicated to serving the needs of animals to restore their well-being and reunite them with their owners or find new forever homes.
Founded in 2017 by a group of local community leaders in a public-private partnership with the City of Newport Beach, FONBAS has been supplementing funding for the current Newport Beach Animal Shelter to provide upgraded amenities and medical care.
“The public-private partnership between FONBAS and the city is a remarkable example of the impact non-profits can have in a community” said FONBAS Board Member and Newport Beach City Council Member Robyn Grant. “In this case, the partnership was funded entirely by private resources with the city as a recipient of valuable permanent amenities and infrastructure that benefit the community”.
FONBAS just celebrated the completion of a multi-year capital campaign to purchase land and build a state-of-the-art animal shelter in the city. The new campus officially opens in July and includes a single-story, 1,600-square-foot building with a 750-square-foot kennel to house dogs, cats, and other animals, plus parking, two front-yard greeting areas, and a secure rear-yard exercise space.
“With the completion of the new facility behind us, we will continue the important work of supplementing costly surgeries and other care for our animals – healthcare beyond the scope of a typical city,” said FONBAS Board President and Planning Commissioner Jon Langford.
“I am proud to present California Nonprofit of the Year to FONBAS to acknowledge their part in making a collective impact with other nonprofits in Assembly District 72 and across the State of California,” said Dixon.
For more information on FONBAS, visit https://fonbas.org.
