Dear One Heart Wild Friend,

As 2024 draws to a close, we at One Heart Wild reflect on a year filled with both challenges and profound achievements. Our mission to support and nurture over 70 rescued animals and provide trauma-informed care to at-risk youth, teens, and families continues to drive our work, but we need your help to sustain and expand these vital services.

One Heart Wild is not just a sanctuary for animals traumatized by neglect and abuse; it is a healing environment for our community members, offering a range of trauma informed therapeutic services, including animal assisted therapy. Most of the animals in our care will live out their lives with us, playing crucial roles in our animal-assisted therapy programs. These programs serve as a bridge to healing for individuals, particularly those who struggle with conditions like ADHD, Austism, and anxiety, benefiting immensely from our nature-centered approach.

This year, 31% of our clients opted for telehealth services, while a resounding 69% preferred engaging with our therapy animals on-site. This preference highlights the deep connection between our animals and the therapeutic process—a bond that fosters healing for both species. Yet, despite this success, oursustainability relies on insurance reimbursements, grants, and the generosity of donors like you. Currently, 56% of our clients utilize insurance, while 44% depend on grant funding or self-pay options.

To address the increased demand for our services, we applied for $1.3 million in grants this year to hire additional therapists, a case manager, and an executive administrator/communications director. Unfortunately, we secured only $80,000 in competitive grant funding this year, while the costs for veterinary care, feed, medication, and special needs care for our animals exceeded $110,000. The total for clients accessing grant funding and sliding scale self-pay options amounted to $73,446.46. With your help, we can bridge these gaps by maintaining our scholarship fund to ensure that everyone, regardless of their financial situation, can access the care they need - while also maintaining the abilty to provide gold standard care to the animals. The demand for our unique services has surged, leading to a waitlist of over 100 individuals seeking support.

This year also marked significant upgrades at our sanctuary. Thanks to two Department of Commerce grants, we renovated animal shelters, added counseling cottages, and improved our facilities, reinforcing our commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for both animals and people. Our vibrant community of volunteers contributed an impressive 2,978 hours, providing invaluable support in caring for our animals and assisting with programs. This count does not include hours spent supporting events or the dedication of our Board of Directors.

Our outreach efforts have impacted over 300 students through school-based mental health services, helping them address current stress levels and connecting them with essential resources. Additionally, students attended a series of group animal-assisted workshops focused on managing anxiety and building connections with peers.

We are immensely grateful for the support from Kitsap County's mental health grant and our many community donors. However, as grant funding becomes increasingly difficult to secure and donations decline, we are reaching out to you for support.

As we approach the end of the year and tax deductible giving, we kindly ask you to consider contributing to One Heart Wild. Your support—whether motivated by the care we provide for animals or the mental health services for those in need—will directly impact lives. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us continue our essential work in the community.

Thank you for considering One Heart Wild in your year-end giving. Together, we can foster healing and hope for both the animals we cherish and the families we support.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Drea Bowen  

Executive Director  

One Heart Wild  

oneheartwild@gmail.com  

www.OneHeartWild.org  

One Heart Wild a 501(c)(3), your support is tax-deductible (EIN #47-3649523)