Building Impact With Purpose
Our Impact
The Ohlson Family Foundation is building a lasting charitable effort focused on supporting animals, animal welfare organizations, and the people who care about them.
Where We’re Starting
We’re Building Our Impact From the Ground Up
The Ohlson Family Foundation was created to turn our family’s love for animals into meaningful community action.
2026 is our inaugural fundraising year. As a new nonprofit, we’re building our charitable programs, community relationships, fundraising efforts, and partnerships from the beginning.
We believe transparency is more important than making our organization appear more established than it is. We will not claim accomplishments we haven’t achieved. Instead, we’ll document our progress and share our results as our work develops.
Our First Year
2026 Is the Beginning of Our Story
Our first year is focused on establishing a responsible foundation for charitable giving and creating a sustainable way for our community to support animal welfare.
Through fundraising, community events, charitable partnerships, and awareness, we’re working to turn the generosity of our supporters into meaningful resources for organizations already helping animals.
Our Goals
Turning Community Support Into Meaningful Action
Our long-term impact will be built through charitable giving, community partnerships, fundraising, and awareness. These are the areas where we intend to make a difference as our organization grows.
Help Animals in Need
We aim to direct charitable resources toward organizations and programs helping animals facing homelessness, abandonment, neglect, or other difficult circumstances.
Support Animal Welfare Organizations
We plan to build relationships with shelters, rescues, and animal welfare organizations so that community support can reach organizations already doing important work.
Support People and Their Pets
Helping animals also means helping the people who care for them. As our resources grow, we hope to support efforts that help families and pets remain together whenever possible.
Build Community Awareness
Through events, education, fundraising, and online outreach, we want to make it easier for people to discover animal welfare organizations and find meaningful ways to get involved.
Our 2026 Giving Focus
Supporting Organizations Doing the Work
For 2026, the foundation is focused on supporting three organizations whose work aligns with our mission. Our charitable giving is intended to strengthen organizations that are already providing care, protection, services, and opportunities for animals and the people they serve.
Wright-Way Rescue
Wright-Way Rescue helps homeless cats and dogs find safe, loving homes through rescue, rehabilitation, adoption, and community education.
Visit Website →Midwest Dachshund Rescue
Midwest Dachshund Rescue is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding loving homes for dachshunds in need throughout the Midwest.
Visit Website →Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy
Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy connects people with trained therapy animals to provide comfort, companionship, and meaningful support in the community.
Visit Website →How Charitable Support Can Help
Turning Generosity Into Resources
The specific use of charitable funds depends on the needs of the organizations we support. Our goal is to provide flexible charitable support that helps established animal welfare organizations continue their work.
Rescue & Rehabilitation
Charitable support can help organizations continue providing care, rehabilitation, and resources for animals entering their programs.
Adoption & Placement
Support can contribute to the work required to help animals move toward safe, permanent, loving homes.
Community Programs
Animal welfare also depends on education, outreach, community programs, and services that help people and animals.
Animal Care
Depending on organizational needs, charitable resources may help support the ongoing care and services animals require.
Therapy & Community Support
Supporting organizations that connect people with therapy animals can extend the positive relationship between animals and the communities they serve.
Awareness & Education
Stronger awareness helps communities discover animal welfare organizations and learn how they can make a difference.
How We Use Donations
How Your Donation Helps
Donations to the Ohlson Family Foundation are used to support our charitable mission through grants and charitable contributions to qualifying animal welfare organizations and programs.
During 2026, the Foundation intends to distribute charitable support among three selected nonprofit partners: Wright-Way Rescue, Midwest Dachshund Rescue, and Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy.
As the Foundation completes its first year of fundraising, we will update this website with information about funds raised and charitable distributions made.
Measuring Our Progress
Impact Should Be Measurable
As our organization grows, we’ll track meaningful results and use them to show supporters how their contributions are helping. Our goal is to build a record of impact based on real results, not promises.
Funds Raised
We’ll track charitable fundraising totals so we can communicate the financial support generated through our community efforts.
Charitable Giving
We’ll document charitable distributions made by the foundation and the organizations receiving support.
Organizations Supported
We’ll maintain a record of the shelters, rescues, animal welfare organizations, and programs receiving foundation support.
Community Participation
We’ll track participation through events, volunteers, partnerships, and other community activities.
Community Reach
We’ll look at the reach of our educational, fundraising, and awareness efforts as the foundation grows.
Results From Our Partners
When appropriate information is available from our charitable partners, we’ll use their reported results to better understand the impact made possible through our support.
Our Commitment
Transparency Matters
We believe supporters deserve to understand how their contributions are being used and what those contributions help accomplish.
As the Ohlson Family Foundation grows, we’ll share meaningful updates about our fundraising efforts, charitable support, partnerships, events, and accomplishments.
We will not present projected results as completed accomplishments. When we have measurable results, we’ll make those results part of our story.
Community Fundraising
From Community Spirit to Charitable Giving
Max & Ares Magical Awesomeness is our annual holiday light show and an important part of how our family brings the community together around our love for animals.
The Ohlson Family Foundation is the charitable organization. The light show provides an opportunity to raise awareness, encourage community participation, and generate charitable support for animal welfare.
As the foundation grows, we hope to build on this tradition and create additional opportunities for our community to turn shared experiences into meaningful charitable action.
The Road Ahead
Every Impact Story Starts Somewhere
Established nonprofits once had their first fundraiser, their first volunteer, their first partnership, and their first charitable contribution. We’re at that beginning now.
Our goal is to grow thoughtfully, build lasting relationships, and turn the generosity of our community into meaningful support for animals.
Help Us Build Our Impact
Whether you donate, attend Max & Ares Magical Awesomeness, volunteer, share our mission, or help connect us with organizations doing important work, you can help us take the next step.