Grants This Year

Grants Awarded for 2009-10

Again this year, we distributed available funds, to organizations supporting our mission statement, based on nomination and voting by our members.  We made a donation of $2,000 to The Alex Foundation in conjunction with Dr. Pepperberg's appearance at The All-American Hookbill Fair.  After projecting our operating expenses for the coming year we decided to disburse the remaining $900 through our nomination/voting process as three grants of $300.

It gives us great pleasure to help these other organizations by distributing the fruits of our annual labors, represented by proceeds from the Fair.  We thank them for their like-minded efforts, and thank our members and volunteers for their help raising these funds.

Recipient Description
The Alex FoundationThe Alex Foundation, represented by Dr. Irene Pepperberg, continues to advance our understanding of avian cognition and explore non-human use of language and symbols.
STARSt. Louis Avian Rescue - formerly Perfectly Precious.  STAR's mission is to provide public education about avian care and accept relinquished birds, then provide veterinary screening, foster homes for rehabilitation and eventually permanent rehoming.  STAR has a standards-based screening process for potential adopters.  Their website
Feather Distribution Project

The Project, operated for more than twenty years by Jonathan Reyman, collects feathers from a number of sources and distributes them to Native Americans in the Southwest for use in religious ceremonies, traditional clothing and artifacts.  Dr. Reyman has been our guest several times to explain the positive impact the simple act of saving our birds’ feathers can have on Native Americans as well as reducing the incentive to capture wild birds just to harvest their feathers.  Feathers are provided free of charge.  Our donation will help offset operating expenses such as shipping costs.

Wild Bird RehabilitationWBR helps over 2,500 birds a year, representing 100 different migratory bird species. WBR receives referrals from St. Louis city, county and state animal agencies as well as many veterinarians and other animal welfare organizations.  Their website.