Creating Healthier Futures for Pets and Families

Pictured above: Thea sits on her front porch with her guinea pig, Georgie, and her cat, Joey. | Photo by: Ben Cleeton

For Thea, Georgie arrived at exactly the right time.

After years spent caring for family members, including her mother, aunt and uncle, Thea found herself living alone for the first time. While her two cats provided comfort, it was Georgie, a rescued guinea pig, who helped transform her house into a home again.

“Georgie really made the house a home again,” she said. “The cats and I were very happy, but something about her completed the picture.”

Thea adopted Georgie through The Kia Foundation, a Syracuse-based nonprofit that provides pet food, supplies, wellness services and other resources to pet owners throughout the community. Founded by Samuel Washington, the organization works to ensure that financial hardship never forces families to choose between caring for themselves and caring for their pets.

Today, she regularly relies on the organization for pet supplies, advice and support. When she runs short on food or hay for Georgie, staff members are there to help. When she has questions about caring for her pets, someone is available to offer guidance. The relationship, she said, has become much more than a transaction.

“They’re always there to help me if I need information or assistance,” she said.

For Washington, that sense of belonging is intentional. Growing up on Syracuse’s Southside, he saw firsthand how difficult it could be for families to access resources when times were tough. Raised by a single mother of four, he often wondered why there were no places to turn for help caring for family pets. That experience inspired him to create The Kia Foundation, which has now assisted thousands of pet owners with food, supplies and pet care resources.

The organization also addresses a need that is often overlooked. Pets are family members, yet veterinary care and preventive services can be financially out of reach for many households. Historic inequities, including disparities in wealth, access to services and investment in communities of color, have made those challenges even greater for many Black families.

As the only Black-operated pet-focused organization in Syracuse’s history, The Kia Foundation provides both resources and representation. Washington believes it is important for pet owners of color to see themselves reflected in the organizations serving them.

To support those efforts, we provided a $15,000 grant from our Black Equity & Excellence Fund to help expand The Kia Foundation’s Pet Wellness and Care initiatives. The funding supported pet wellness events that provided free spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, examinations and educational resources to more than 150 pet owners in Onondaga County. As a result of the organization’s growth, the number of pet owners served each month increased from approximately 100-150 to 200-275.

“Everyone at Kia is truly grateful,” Washington said. “The funds received have allowed our organization to expand our services and assist more pet owners in the community.”

The impact extends beyond individual pet owners. By helping families access preventive care and basic supplies, the organization is reducing the number of animals entering local shelters and helping pets remain safely with the people who love them.

For Thea, the value of that support is difficult to measure.

“Our neighborhood would not be the same without them,” she said.

Whether providing food, answering questions, arranging veterinary services or helping someone welcome a new companion into their life, The Kia Foundation is strengthening the bond between people and pets — and building a stronger community in the process.