Los Angeles Zoo Association Flooded With $70,000 In Donations On Betty White's Birthday
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — More than 1,700 donations poured in from across the country and the globe and raised $70,389 to honor beloved actress Betty White on what would have been her 100th birthday.
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, benefiting the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, was one of White's favorite charities during her lifetime, and officials say they were blown away by her fans answering the call to meet the #BettyWhite Challenge on social media.
"Betty would be so thrilled to see the outpouring of support in her honor," GLAZA President Tom Jacobson said in a statement.
White died on Christmas Eve after suffering a stroke just a couple of weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
GLAZA received 1,731 donations from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, plus contributions from 11 countries, including Malta, the Netherlands, and Australia. To date, 2,117 donations totaling $94,297 have been received by GLAZA in White's honor, GLAZA officials said.
Other donations included $25,000 from The Walt Disney Company, $3,000 from Pink's Hot Dogs, and an unspecified amount in proceeds from Madame Tussaud's Betty White event on Jan. 17. GLAZA says its Betty White Tribute Fund will remain online through the end of the month.
The Betty White Challenge had called on her fans to donate to an animal rescues, shelters, or other type of organization for her birthday. Animal organizations across the country reported a flood of donations Monday in honor of the actress' 100th birthday, including Ventura County Animal Services reporting $51,510 in donations after calling on the community for a nominal $5 contribution in honor of the actress.
