Valley PFD donations again go mostly to the dogs

PALMER — Again this year the Mat-Su Valley has gone to the dogs with its Pick. Click. Give. donations.

Just like last year and the year before, the Valley based Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue was the non-profit that received the highest number of donations from the Pick. Click. Give., the charitable program whereby Alaskans donate portions of their Permanent Fund Dividends to selected non-profit groups.

This year the dog group received $54,700 in donations.

But Valley animal lovers didn’t stop there. Alaska Assistance Dogs received the third most donations with $10,325, Clear Creek Cat Rescue took in $9,950 for the No. 4 spot and Advocates for Puppy Wellness and the Alaska WildBird Rehabilitation Center took in $5,650 and $5,250 respectively to clinch the No. 6 and No. 7 spots.

In between those animal groups, the Food Pantry of Wasilla was the No. 2 earner with $16,975 in donations and CCS Early Learning took in $9,950 to was fifth in total donations.

Rounding out the top 10 were the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation with $4,925, Mat-Su Senior Services/Palmer Senior Center with $4,900 and Radio Free Palmer with $4,875.

Given that the dividend was only $900 last year, each of those groups had to pull from more than one donor.

Groups that could have made their donations with just one check rounded out the bottom. The lowest number of donations went to Sunshine Station Childcare Center, which took in $100.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.