Tens of thousands of dollars were raised to support the L.A. Zoo in honor of longtime supporter Betty White Monday, on what would have been the late actor’s 100th birthday.
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) reported a single-day total of $70,000 from over 1,700 donations, which came from across the U.S. and 11 other countries, the zoo said in a news release on Tuesday.
Altogether, $94,000 has been raised in tribute to the beloved comedian for GLAZA, a non-profit that counted Betty White as a trustee on its board for decades.
The donations were part of the #BettyWhiteChallenge, which sought to get people to open their wallets for animal welfare-related charities — a cause near and dear to the lifetime advocate’s heart — in the wake of her death on New Year’s Eve, 17 days shy of her 100th birthday.
“Betty would be so thrilled to see the outpouring of support in her honor. So many worthy animal and wildlife organizations were greatly impacted by yesterday’s challenge, and we know Betty is smiling,” GLAZA President Tom Jacobson said in the release. “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.”
Some notable donations included $25,000 from the Walt Disney Co. and $3,000 from Pink’s Hot Dogs, the latter of which gave the proceeds from sales of its “Naked Dog” to the zoo, according to the release.
For those who didn’t donate but want to in honor of the “Golden Girls” star, you can give to The Betty White Tribute fund through the end of the month by going to https://lazoo.wedid.it/campaigns/10072-betty-white-memorial-fund.