Fundraising Fun

Stilt walkers and zoo animals help stimulate $14.4 million worth of charitabledonations on North Texas Giving Day

When we arrived at the Communities Foundation of Texas on Caruth Haven for North Texas Giving Day, we were greeted by some very tall ladies. Turns out these women were stilt walkers from Amphibian Stage Productions, a Fort Worth-based theater company – and one of 929 nonprofits benefiting from this charitable day.

This was the fourth annual North Texas Giving Day, designed to raise awareness for North Texas-area nonprofits as well as fill their coffers. From 7 am to midnight September 13, any donation $25 and up made via Donor Bridge was matched by some percentage from a pool of around $1 million. For regular supporters of these charities – or for first-time or occasional givers – North Texas Giving Day is the time to donate a little extra, knowing it will be bolstered by matching funds.

This was the first year the Communities Foundation turned giving day into a full-fledged event. Festivities included performances from local arts organizations (the aforementioned Amphibian Stage Productions plus groups like Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita M. Martinez Ballet Folklorico), appearances by Dallas Zoo animals, and food-on-wheels from vendors like Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe and Rock Star Bake Shop.

But fun was only one goal for the day. This was serious fundraising business. As many of the 26,000 donations rolled in via the Donor Bridge website, visitors like us were invited to donate onsite at laptops set up inside the CFT building. And the staff was eager to educate us about the beneficiaries and share stories. To ensure success, the foundation contracted Austin-based technology firm Kimbia, capable of iTunes-level transactions, to process the donations coming in from all 50 states, some U.S. territories and as many as 16 countries – including Kazakhstan. This was truly a global effort.

After taking a tour of the donation center and making our pledges, we grabbed a bite at Jack ’s Chowhound. When we looked up at the leader board on our way out, we realized that total donations had increased by more than $1 million since our arrival two hours prior.

Turns out North Texas Giving Day raised a record-breaking $14.4 million. Topping the leaderboard was the Salvation Army of Texas at $554,483, followed by Ursuline Academy, at $265,497. The Dallas Arboretum also had a good day, with 25 gifts totaling $206,228.

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Animal News

Hunt County man arrested for animal cruelty to puppy from Dallas

SPCA

Jacob Paul Nichols arrested for animal cruelty in Hunt County, Texas.

On Tuesday, June 17, a resident of Greenville, Texas was arrested for animal cruelty after allegedly letting a puppy starve to death.

According to a release, Jacob Paul Nichols was arrested and charged with Texas Penal Code 42.092, Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals (b)(1) after allegedly torturing his puppy over a span of several months, causing unjustifiable pain and suffering which ultimately resulted in her death — a felony of the third degree.

Nichols was located and arrested in Johnson County where he was booked into Johnson County Jail and held on a $200,000 bond.

On June 6, SPCA of Texas’ Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit Chief Investigator was contacted by the ever-diligent Hunt County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a deceased puppy that was discovered inside a dumpster at a Greenville apartment complex.

The small tan puppy was found lying on her side in a medium-sized crate. She was emaciated and had sharp, overgrown nails.

An SPCA of Texas Investigator took the puppy to the SPCA's Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center for a forensic necropsy. The exam showed the puppy was 5.5 months old and weighed only 7.6 pounds when she died. She perished due to long-term starvation and dehydration, and had suffered for a prolonged period of time.

The puppy had a microchip, which revealed that she had been adopted by a Dallas resident from a North Texas animal shelter in January 2025. The puppy, named Sandy, was rehomed to Nichols on February 13 through a rehoming website that allows potential adopters to be screened prior to rehoming. (The release does not identify the adopter or explain why the adopter was dumping the puppy after only a month of ownership.)

Nichols signed a contract stating that he agreed to “care for the pet in a humane and responsible manner and to provide him/her with clean and adequate shelter, food, water and veterinary care.”

The SPCA of Texas ACI Unit confirmed with Nichols that the dog had been in his care. Interviews with Nichols and other witnesses revealed evidence that the dog had been neglected over a span of months and left to die in the crate without food or water.

“No animal deserves to suffer in silence the way this puppy did. The evidence indicates that she was trapped, neglected and ultimately starved to death over a span of months,” said SPCA of Texas’ ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. “The level of cruelty in this case is staggering, and the SPCA of Texas and Hunt County Sheriff’s Office are committed to ensuring justice is served.”

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