The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) raises $70,389 on Jan. 17, on what would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday. 1,731 donations came in from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, along with 11 countries, including Malta, the Netherlands, and Australia, in honor of the beloved entertainer and longtime GLAZA trustee and Zoo supporter. To date, 2,117 donations totaling $94,297 have been received in White’s honor.
“We are blown away by the number of donations we received yesterday as part of the #BettyWhiteChallenge,” states GLAZA President Tom Jacobson. “Betty would be so thrilled to see the outpouring of support in her honor. We know so many worthy animal and wildlife organizations were greatly impacted by yesterday’s challenge, and we know Betty is smiling. Betty is a true champion of animals in both life and death, and we look forward to honoring her legacy at the Los Angeles Zoo” he goes on to say.
Other donations include $25,000 from The Walt Disney Company, $3,000 from Pink’s Hot dogs, and the proceeds from Madame Tussauds Hollywood’s Betty White event on Jan. 17.
“The Los Angeles Zoo is thankful for the incredible generosity displayed by so many people in honor of Betty White,” said Denise M. Verret, CEO & Zoo Director of the Los Angeles Zoo. “Betty White was a long-time champion and supporter of the L.A. Zoo, wildlife conservation, and animal welfare, and we are so overjoyed with the public response. The L.A. Zoo looks forward to using these funds raised by communities near and far to continue our mission of saving wildlife, enriching our communities, and connecting Angelenos with nature.”