Raising Funds for our K-9 Hometown Heroes

Each year, The Hometown Foundation, Inc. recognizes the month of February as Police K-9 Awareness Month. The Foundation raises funds to donate Police K-9s, support training, and purchase essential equipment such as Garmin G.P.S collars and watches, K-9 Cooling vests, Police Cruiser heat alarms, K-9 bullet proof vests, bite suits, and more. To date, The Hometown Foundation has donated 32 K-9s in 13 states. Police K-9s are the most valuable supplement to manpower in a police department. They are used for finding missing persons, detecting narcotics and accelerants, apprehending suspects, finding crime scene evidence, handler protection, and used as a community policing tool. Despite the essential role that Police K-9s offer law enforcement agencies, in many states and municipalities these programs are not funded by their local governments, which means they rely heavily on private donations.

One of the annual programs that we implement to reach our goals is our Hang Tag/Round Up and Reusable Bag Program, which are incorporated into our IGA Partners, Retailers, and independent stores. Be sure to stop into your local store to make a donation today. All proceeds benefit the local Police K-9 in your community. This year, the following stores are participating:

• Adams Hometown Markets – All CT and MA locations (February 6th – February 19th)
• Better Val-U - Lisbon & Canterbury, CT, West Warwick, RI (February 6th – February 19th)
• East Hampton IGA – East Hampton, NY (February 6th – February 19th)
• Montauk IGA – Montauk, NY (February 6th – February 19th)
• Rangeley IGA – Rangeley, ME (February 6th – February 19th)
• Tri-Town Foods - East Lyme, CT (February 6th – February 19th)
• Fitzgerald’s Foods – Simsbury, CT (February 6th – February 19th)
• The Market – Northville and Bantam, CT (March 1st – March 31st)
• Pat’s IGA – Wolcott, CT (February 13th – March 13th)
• T & J Supermarket – East Haven, CT (February 6th – March 27th)

Throughout the year, the Foundation additionally host K-9 focused events to rally the community together to raise awareness for their local Police K-9 Units and to shed light on the assistance that they need. The Hometown Foundation works closely with local and state police departments to understand what they need and how to equip their personnel properly.

You can get involved by donating to The Hometown Foundation by texting HTFPoliceK9 to 76278 or visit https://HTFPoliceK9.givesmart.com to make a donation. For more information on how to support your Police K-9 Units, please contact The Hometown Foundation at info@hometownfoundation.org or 203-250-5661.