AVMF’s REACH charitable care program provides nearly $650,000 to help pets, clients

Dr. Stephen C. Kochis, chief medical officer with the Oregon Humane Society (OHS), recalls a 7-year-old dog with pyometra whose owners couldn't pay for a life-saving surgery at a nearby specialty veterinary practice. Instead, they came to OHS's Community Veterinary Hospital in Portland, Oregon, where Dr. Kochis could perform the surgery.

The hospital uses various types of funding to help cover costs, including grants from the American Veterinary Medical Foundation's (AVMF) Reaching Every Animal with Charitable Healthcare (REACH) Program. A $500 grant from the REACH program helped subsidize the surgery.

"We're really piecing things together for people to get the care that they need," thanks in part to the program, Dr. Kochis said.

Oregon Humane Society's Community Veterinary Hospital (CVH) is one of the clinics that participates in the American Veterinary Medical Foundation's (AVMF) Reaching Every Animal with Charitable Healthcare (REACH) Program. Stephen C. Kochis (pictured), chief medical officer for the hospital, says CVH uses means testing before providing services to make veterinary care more accessible for vulnerable communities. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Kochis)

The REACH program is funded by Purina through the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission, and provides grants to AVMA members who offer immediate care at a low cost to pets with owners experiencing financial limitations. REACH aims to break down barriers to access to veterinary care by increasing assistance and access to the most vulnerable communities.

Current REACH impact

It has already proven itself to be a vital and impactful program. As of June, the AVMF has approved more than 600 REACH grants and awarded just shy of $650,000 in grant funding. The average grant request is around $1,000.

By comparison, the previous version of the program, the Veterinary Charitable Care Fund (VCCF), garnered 600 total applications in 2022. REACH is on track to have a far greater number of applications by year-end and impact hundreds more clinics.

The VCCF required members to enroll in the program and fundraise to be reimbursed from their own accounts. The program was officially sunset and transitioned to REACH in January 2023.

Since the launch of the Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission partnership with REACH in April 2023, the program has received about 150 applications a month, and that amount is expected to grow.

"We are thrilled at the success of the AVMF REACH program. I have seen firsthand the significant impact on the lives of people and animals in time of need with this money," said Dr. Rena Carlson, AVMF chair and AVMA immediate past president. "The support provided by Purina has allowed this program to flourish in just a short time."

The AVMF received $1 million in funding from Purina last year, which continues to promote REACH as part of its Veterinary Support Mission. The REACH program is also made possible by contributions from donors, and is currently accepting donations.

"We know from the feedback we get from AVMA members who have used the program that it is easy to apply for funding and that it often turns emotional conversations from tears of sadness to tears of joy," Dr. Carlson said.

REACH recipients

Ongoing feedback from REACH recipients has been overwhelmingly positive and underscores the need for such a program.

In 2023, a man without housing was finally moving into a home along with his dog after 10 years. The dog had severe dental problems and an infected lump on its leg. The dog owner's caseworker referred him to Community Veterinary Hospital, where the dog received the needed care at no cost thanks to a REACH grant.

"We need more organizations like AVMF to support this kind of work," Dr. Kochis said.

He continued, "I'm surprised especially when veterinarians come here for a tour that they don't know this program exists. People wish there was this pot of money they could use to help clients and it does exist, for me it's one of the main reasons I keep my AVMA membership."

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