Purina committed to help 1 mln vulnerable people, offer 200,000 EUR grant for impactful organizations

30 / 01 / 2023

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Nestle’s Purina,  Europe’s leading pet care business, announced its commitment to support 1 million people in vulnerable situations to improve their health and wellbeing by 2030 in addition to awarding a 2-year grant of up to 100,000 EUR per annum to impactful organizations across Europe who are striving to make a positive impact in their community.

 Purina has opened applications for its BetterwithPets Prize (BWPP), encouraging organizations across Europe to apply for the chance to win the resources to develop new and creative solutions that make a positive impact on the lives of as many individuals, their pets, and communities around them.

The most impactful organization(s) will win a grant of up to 200,000 EUR over the 2-years of the edition and will have the opportunity to share best practices and scalable initiatives via conferences and webinars to build knowledge, and scale impact on the health and well-being of people in vulnerable situations, whilst supporting the power of the per-human-bond.

By launching a new edition of the BWPP, Purina aims to support growth of the most impactful organizations with a strategic grant and connect the wider community of applicants to develop best practice and ultimately scale their impact.

Previous winners of the BetterwithPets Prize have made a profound impact and contribution in tackling societal issues. Organizations such as OOPOEH have supported in reducing loneliness and increasing physical activity for the elderly. StreetVet was awarded the resources to develop their first accredited hostel scheme to provide shelters for homeless people and their pets. Finally, a grant was awarded to a charity called Medical Detection Dogs, dogs trained to detect human disease with the aim of developing faster, more efficient and less invasive diagnostics that lead to better patient outcomes.

Jeff Hamilton, CEO at Nestlé Purina PetCare in Europe, said: “We know that there is strength in the pet-human bond and that it has the power to be a positive force for change in society. We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but we know there is more to be done. This is why we are inviting all organizations working to support people in vulnerable situations and who have implemented projects in this field to apply for the Prize and join this community. Especially in complex times like these, the need for continuous support with a 2-year grant is key to help impactful organization(s) to grow and scale their impact. We are committed to leverage our own knowledge, experience, and financial resources to help organizations supporting those in the most vulnerable situations.”