William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation
The William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is committed to understanding and meeting the needs of animals and their people in the greater Richmond community.
In 2023, The William A. Harrison Jr. Foundation proudly launched Furbish Thrift, Richmond’s first retail thrift store dedicated to supporting animal welfare. Our mission is to raise funds that help keep animals with their families, bolster smaller animal welfare nonprofits, and establish a sustainable, reliable hub that unites the animal community. Located in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center, our 8,500 sq. ft. store is operated by a small team of employees and dedicated volunteers. An active and passionate Board of Directors oversees the store and ensures the successful implementation of all mission-related programs.
We have distributed over 40,000 pounds of pet food to the Richmond community, equating to more than 250,000 meals for pets in need—and our efforts continue to grow. With your support, we are actively stocking community pantries with essential items, including pet food, to help those facing hardships.
We have awarded over $60,000 in grants to local animal welfare organizations in the Greater Richmond area. Our first program, Furbish Thrift, a nonprofit thrift store, hosts regular benefit weekends where 10% of all sales are donated to local nonprofits dedicated to advancing animal welfare in our community.
Since our foundation's inception in 2023, and with your invaluable support, we have successfully spayed and neutered over 300 cats. We collaborate with individuals and organizations dedicated to caring for feral cats, helping to facilitate and cover the costs of trapping, spaying, and neutering, and then returning these cats home.
We established the Mark W. Burkett Scholarship Fund to address the critical need for more veterinary technicians within the Richmond animal welfare community.
The Mark W. Burkett Scholarship Fund
The Mark W. Burkett Scholarship Fund
Established in honor of one of our founders, this scholarship supports the educational journey toward a veterinary technician degree. We are proud to announce that Tracy Roberg is the first recipient of this award.
“We envision a Richmond, Virginia where no one has to worry about surrendering a beloved pet in their final years due to financial hardship.”
-Bill Harrison