Hundreds of dogs and cats at Friends of Animals of Metro Detroit are warmer and more playful thanks to the helping hands of Henry Ford Village residents.

On Mar. 26, the senior living community donated 175 cat blankets and dozens of pet toys to The MaryAnn Wright Animal Adoption and Education Center near Dearborn’s 19th District Court. The gifts – all handmade – were the latest in an ongoing partnership that dates back to 2019.

“FAMD was running low on blankets and reached out to see if our residents would be interested in helping,” said HFV wellness coordinator Leslie Kallas. “We’re an animal-loving community, and we have a large group of crafters on our campus, so I knew they would be happy to help them out.”

Many volunteers asked for more to do, and a few had the brilliant idea to make toys from the scrap fleece. Their hard work was enthusiastically accepted.

“We are so thankful for Leslie and Henry Ford Village for choosing Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit for their winter service project,” said Sarah Rood, FAMD’s Manager, Marketing and Personal Giving. “Their donation will keep our blanket supply fully stocked for the near future. We are so grateful to have HFV and all their caring residents in our community!”

Within HFV there are popular dog and cat clubs among the dozens of organizations offered to residents.

Two years ago, HFV’s “Dog Days of Summer” week-long pet celebration featured FAMD volunteers on campus with adoptable animals and a demonstration on making dog toys. Last November, during a month of resident thanks and giving programs, one of three volunteer opportunities offered to residents was a supply drive for the organization.

“The residents of Henry Ford Village are very service-oriented. Everyone here seems to jump at an opportunity to make a difference,” Kallas said. “We’ve created a really nice relationship with FAMD and I hope we can continue to do more with them.”

To learn more about Friends of Animals of Metro Detroit, visit www.metrodetroitanimals.org.

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