BABE #360: THERESA SCORDO - Director of Development, Jacksonville Humane Society
As the Director of Development, Theresa works tirelessly every day to ensure the furry friends that walk into the Jacksonville Humane Society receive the utmost care and attention (and for those who need it, a forever home). The already incredibly busy shelter (averaging 5,000 visitors per month pre-pandemic) has seen workloads double and resources stretched since the onset of COVID-19. Currently, JHS is the only operating shelter in the community, keeping Theresa and her team on their toes around the clock. Despite the challenges, she continues to persevere, lead with integrity and remain hopeful amidst the uncertainty.
The Basics:
Hometown: Oakdale, New York (Long Island)
Current city: Jacksonville, Florida
Alma mater: State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland)
Degree: B.S., Sports Management and Communications
Very first job: Waitress
Hustle: Director of Development, Jacksonville Humane Society
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
How do you pick just one? I admire my late grandmother, my great aunt Teresa (who I am named after) and my mother. If I had to choose a public figure, the first person I admired and aspired to be like was ESPN sports broadcaster/anchor Linda Cohn. All I wanted to do was talk about sports like her and the rest of the guys. I even decided to make that my major in college and pursued a career like hers for many years.
What would you eat for your very last meal?
If I had to pick, it would be my mom's homemade lasagna. My family makes their own pasta and sauce and it’s the best ever.
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
Coffee all day. Nothing fancy; a good brew with a splash of skim milk.
Favorite way to unplug?
Hanging out with family and friends. I have a decent sized family and I am lucky most of them have decided to leave New York and live in Jacksonville with me and near me. I love just hanging out with all of them at Sunday dinner or over a drink or meal.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
The Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) averages about 5,000 visitors a month (before COVID-19). As the director of development, it’s up to my team and I not only to market and execute those programs to the public, but find ways to fund those programs. The Pet Help Center offers a wide range of free and low-cost services to help keep dogs and cats in their loving home. These services include free pet behavior help, pet food, low-cost veterinary care, spay and neuter assistance, training classes, rehoming assistance, emergency boarding, reuniting lost pets, help for found kittens, community cat assistance, stray or owned pet admissions, and so much more. We are a full-service humane society offering programs to engage our entire community and celebrate the animal-human bond, from children’s “pawsitive” reading and camp, to yoga with cats. Way more than just adoptions.
My office, which is in the main part of the shelter, is always busy from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week. Last year we provided shelter and medical care to nearly 9,000 pets (a record-breaking year) and gave more than 4,000 underage kittens and puppies a chance at life, plus kept 3,500 families together with community resources, and provided 1,600 local children with humane education.
At JHS, we pride ourselves on being transparent and good stewards of gifts. I’m proud to share with you that at least 85 percent of donations and revenue go directly to the animals in our care (the Better Business Bureau’s standard for nonprofits is 65% percent). Since 1885, the Jacksonville Humane Society has provided care and compassion to animals in need, and now we are one of the largest no-kill cities in the country.
How has your job changed due to COVID-19?
Our job has become a lot more difficult due to the pandemic. Our workload has doubled when in general it was already extremely busy. Our resources are stretched more than ever. We are also the only operating shelter in the community, as the city has shut down the government-run facility nearby and neighboring counties have closed as well. We are a private shelter. We have lost some staff and have also split our staff into two teams, just in case one person or group were to get sick. In addition, all of our procedures, such as adoptions, intake of homeless or abandoned pets, and veterinary visits have changed to curbside (or stopped altogether) to accommodate the new social distancing and stay-at-home rules.
Tell us about some of the decisions you’ve been forced to make due to COVID-19.
We only host two major fundraising events each year. Mutt March, the second Saturday in April, and Toast to the Animals in the fall. These events take all year to plan, and they raise a lot of money for our medical fund. When COVID-19 came, there was no way we could cancel Mutt March, so we spent all day every day making this a virtual event. We had to get creative, to not only come up with new sponsorship benefits for our valued event partners, but also get people to support the event virtually. It was exhausting and a lot to learn in a very short period of time, but we did it! We hit our fundraising goal for Mutt March on Saturday, April 11 with a virtual event.
How can readers support your industry right now?
Like and share their positive messages on social pages and/or donate supplies or dollars. Specifically at JHS, you can donate supplies through our Amazon Wishlist or items from your home. We take used towels and many other household items. You can also support by fostering a pet that just does not do well in the shelter.
What’s one thing you wish the general public knew with regards to the pandemic?
If you are lucky enough to still be working and/or have the means to give, then please consider donating to a cause that's meaningful to you. Now, more than ever, we need to help each other and the nonprofits that provide critical resources to our communities.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Take advantage of the time you’re given, and be present in the moment. Don’t worry so much about the things you can't control. I know that’s easier said than done!
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