A New Era to Begin for Fashion for Paws (F4P): A Note from Tara de Nicolas

Tara de Nicolas from the Washington Humane Society has some exciting news for the District. A note below...........

Thanks to the incredible support of Fashion for Paws (F4P), Event Chairman, Michael Saylor, to launch this initiative, WHS has expanded the Fashion for Paws event, into a full-time, year-round, fund raising, promotional and events Fashion for Paws (F4P) Program, appointing me as the Executive Director.

I will move out of my position as Director of Marketing and Communications for WHS, and be replaced in order to begin my new role. If you or anyone you know may be a good fit for this open position, please e-mail our HR Director all resumes, Sknox@washhumane.org

Building off of the brand already created through the main runway show, Fashion for Paws will now raise funds all year through an array of themed fringe events, product merchandizing, web/blog ad sales, corporate sponsorships, individual gifts, and social marketing/media, in addition to the annual runway show based in Washington, DC each spring (save-the-date – April 10, 2010).

The Fashion for Paws program will offer a Merit Based Grant system that local humane societies from across the country can apply to receive funds from. Along with these monetary gifts, WHS will also offer guidance to these other local humane societies to create similar successful programming/services in order to attack the overwhelming problem of animal overpopulation head on, as WHS itself works toward becoming the nation’s model humane society.

This is just a brief overview, there is so much to be done on my part in the coming weeks and months before we officially launch, and I am in the process now of developing a web site, forging relationships with designers/cosmetic companies, etc., to create products with a percentage of proceeds benefiting Fashion for Paws, target major corporations for support, and strive for national media recognition.

The models, committee members and sponsors are the heart and soul of Fashion for Paws, and without them this next chapter would not be possible. I look forward to creating a far reaching and broader Fashion for Paws with you all that will now help thousands more animals in additional communities, as well as those in our own backyard. This fall will mark the celebration of this new program with a series of events. Dates to be released in the coming weeks.

Thank you so much
Tara de Nicolas