2021 Report

The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund is dedicated to making the world a better place for animals — supporting rescue work, veganism, and wildlife conservation with an emphasis on systemic change and benefits for people.

The Fund issued $66,541 in grants during calendar year 2021, for a total of $514,476 since its Earth Day 2016 founding. 2021 grant recipients were the following six nonprofit organizations:

1. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
2. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)
3. Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (FFAC)
4. White Coat Waste Project (WCW)
5. Faunalytics
6. Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)

Below are details of the Fund’s 2021 grants to these organizations, followed by a shout-out to those who generously donated into the Fund during the calendar year.

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1 – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) — Norfolk, VA and worldwide

a – The Fund supported PETA’s Campaign to End Cruelty toward Race Horses in 2021 for the 6th consecutive year. Achievements included:

November: After a PETA-funded survey found 83% public support, New York State legislators introduced a new bill calling for $230 million in annual New York State subsidies to be redirected away from the horse racing industry and toward vital public education and social services.

May: Kentucky Derby bettors filed a class action lawsuit against notorious trainer Bob Baffert for racketeering and fraud — based on the precedent-setting PETA-backed lawsuit that forced a harness racing trainer and owner to pay a settlement to a harness racing bettor for illegally doping a horse.

b – The Fund supported PETA’s Community Animal Project in 2021 for the 6th consecutive year. In November, the Washington Post wrote extensively about this Project, in both the feature A Dog’s Life by Pulitzer-winning writer Gene Weingarten and photographer Michael S. Williamson; and the Post’s View Opinion: Why do people mistreat their dogs? Because they can.

c – PETA’s 2021 6th Annual Gregory J. Reiter Animal Rescue Award went to Sheila Choi, founder and CEO of The Fuzzy Pet Foundation, which has provided more than 6,000 free spay and neuter surgeries in Southern California since 2005 and rescued and re-homed more than 2,000 cats and dogs. 

d – The Fund supported PETA’s Global Compassion Fund for the first time in 2021, for its rapid-response and relief work in the Philippines, India, Romania, Jordan and more international locations.

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2 – Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) — Washington, D.C.

The Fund supported the Physicians Committee in 2021 for the 6th consecutive year — and sponsored the Exam Room Live / Podcast program for the 3rd consecutive year. Highlighting the many ways plant-based diets improve human health while also sparing animals and the global environment, in 2021 this podcast celebrated the milestone of 6 million downloads around the world, making it the #1 nutrition podcast in 79 countries.

As a regular feature of the Exam Room program, Physicians Committee founder and president Dr. Neal Barnard offers a weekly Live Q&A about plant-based health, which the Fund sponsored throughout 2021. Popular episodes have included Foods that Lower Blood Pressure; Food, Fat and Your Immune System; and Foods that Help Fight Depression. 

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3 – Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (FFAC) — Berkeley, CA

The Fund supported FFAC for the first time in 2021, for its work to promote just and sustainable food systems through education and student advocacy programs, and specifically for production of a forthcoming documentary film.

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4 – White Coat Waste Project (WCW) — Washington, D.C.

The Fund contributed to White Coat Waste in 2021 for the 5th consecutive year, supporting in particular its advocacy for lab animal retirement policies at all federal agencies, to build on current policies at the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institutes of Health.

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5 – Faunalytics — Olympia, WA

The Fund supported Faunalytics for the first time in 2021. An Animal Charity Evaluators top charity, Faunalytics fills the important niche of research to help animal advocates become more effective and evidence-based, with projects including research on animal protection in China and an analysis of US wildlife imports.

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6 – Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) — Cotati, CA

The Fund supported ALDF for the 2nd year in 2021, for its pioneering legal work including use of the Endangered Species Act on behalf of captive wild animals. 

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THANK YOU to everyone who donated into the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund and partner initiatives in 2021!

While the Fund has been financed since 2016 primarily through the assets Greg left behind, it has also expanded its reach through donations from people like you!

Direct donations to the Greg Fund:

• Adam Kobor
• Alejandro Aguilar in honor of Patricia, Solomon, and Robert
• Alka Chandna
• Benevity Community Impact Fund
• Betsy Wason
• David Red
• Gaye Denley
• Greta Morris in memory of Lois Herrmann
• Ilona Lantos
• Irena Steiner in honor of Em Perryman
• James North
• Jeana Curro
• Jill Marcus
• John Elliott
• Joni Jablansky
• Keith Kemplin
• Kelly Molino
• Nancy Ertel
• Patricia Tacilauskas
• Rob Haworth
• Robert Benedict
• Sally Snidow
• Sarah Steadman
• Scott Anderson
• Shannon Gilmore
• Sheila Markman
• Steve Kehrli
• Thu Thi Nguyen

Donations to my Facebook fundraiser for PETA, which the Greg Fund matched:

• Ann Garvey
• Barbara J King
• Christine Kestner
• Dana Meeker
• Daphna Nachminovitch
• David Cherry
• David Red
• Debbie Kula
• Diana Tyrrasch Ok
• Emily Perryman
• Ha Minh Nguyen
• Iman Moussa
• Jacob Eliosoff
• Jennifer Bailey
• Jim North
• John Elliott
• Katie McHenry
• Kathy Guillermo
• Kristy Wolfe
• Manuel E. Rivas
• Mary Pauli
• Masha Skuratovskaya
• Rob Haworth
• Seth Dellinger
• Stephanie Jones
• Steven Kehrli
• Susan R. Johnson
• Tara Ann Stanczyk
• Yi Ting

Donations to my Facebook fundraiser for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which the Greg Fund matched:

• Dana Meeker
• Debbie Kula
• Ha Minh Nguyen
• Ilona Lantos
• Jim North
• Julie Germany
• Katie McHenry
• Kirsten Krivoshia
• Manuel E. Rivas
• Mary Pauli
• Masha Skuratovskaya
• Michael Rutt
• Rob Haworth