Preheat the oven and tie your apron; the RSPCA’s annual Cupcake Day fundraiser is upon us again, and it’s time to get baking for a good cause.
The RSPCA is asking Canberrans to host a Cupcake Day event at the office (or school, or anywhere), and sell some of their delicious creations to support the organisation’s work. They don’t have to be cupcakes, either; you can definitely get away with selling something savoury (we checked).
Money raised from Cupcake Day, the RSPCA’s biggest fundraiser, goes straight back to operating the RSPCA ACT’s shelter in Weston, and the team have set a fundraising target of $90,000 for this year’s event.
“We literally can’t survive without our fantastic supporters, so the people that donate their time and their money to us, it’s them that keep us going,” says RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson.
“It’s the day-to-day stuff,” Ms Robertson says. “The animals can’t look after themselves. So we have the fixed costs – the operational costs, the staffing costs, the running costs; all of those things.
“And medicine is expensive; care is expensive – so all of those things add up. That’s the daily reality for us.
“And then ultimately, of course, we invest a lot of time and effort into trying to find the right match [for adoption].
“Our facilities are ageing, so that places pressure on us, too … There’s always things that need to be fixed, there’s always things that need to be looked at.”
Ms Robertson says 65% of RSPCA ACT’s funding comes from donor dollars, and they would not be able to operate without the generosity of Canberrans.
“What I’m particularly proud of is that every single dollar goes back to our mission … It goes to either advocating for animals, education about animals or literally caring for animals. It goes straight back to getting animal welfare outcomes.
“We are so so grateful to the community, because it’s thanks to them that we are able to do what we do,” she says.
RSPCA Cupcake Day is on Monday 19 August, but Cupcake Day events can be held at any time during the month of August. For more information or to register your event, visit rspca-act.org.au
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