Rescue Chocolate Names Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization the March 2011 Beneficiary
Brooklyn, NY, March 03, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO) has been named the March 2011 beneficiary for Rescue Chocolate, the vegan chocolate company which donates 100% of its profits to animal rescue organizations.
The continuing political upheaval in the Middle East was a factor in deciding to name EMRO as the new beneficiary, according to Rescue Chocolate founder Sarah Gross.
A different non-profit group is picked each month to receive the chocolate company’s largesse.
EMRO has supporters in the United States, but it is headquartered in Cairo and operates an animal shelter there. During the first several weeks of the political protests and demonstrations in Egypt, workers could not get to the shelter on a regular basis. Also, people fleeing the unrest were forced to turn their animals loose on the streets, leading to a greater need for animal services.
After 15 days of protests in Tahrir Square, staff was able to return to the shelter on a limited basis, but they remained under curfew. Basic pet supplies were in short supply, and pet shops were being looted, according to EMRO information manager Cheryl McMurray.
For Egyptians wishing to leave the country with their pets, some of the airlines operating out of the Cairo airport balked. “Flights from various countries have been allowed to land and pick-up their countrymen, but there is still a problem with some airlines that are refusing to allow people to fly out with their animals,” reports EMRO volunteer Aida Marina.
Founded in 2004, EMRO’s main mission has little to do with contemporary Egyptian politics. Rather, it is dedicated to rescuing the Egyptian Mau cat from extinction and to promoting awareness of the species’ role in ancient Egypt. Mau cats are direct descendants of the temple cats once worshiped in the time of the Pharaohs. They were the first domesticated cat in history, and they remain the only naturally occurring small spotted cat in the world.
According to EMRO literature, the breed is under attack. In their homeland, the Mau is unrecognized, routinely poisoned when found in feral colonies, and often suffers from endemic feline diseases.
EMRO serves as an international adoption agency for people wishing to welcome the breed into their homes. The organization also coordinates Mau escort services for people traveling from Egypt to the United States. It runs veterinary clinics and boarding facilities and uses the proceeds from those ventures, together with donations, to fund its rescue programs.
McMurray said she is excited to add Rescue Chocolate to EMRO’s array of fundraisers. She plans to ship some to her contacts in Egypt.
“I’m sure it will be a big hit both at our bazaars and at gatherings attended by expatriates. After weeks of being forced to remain inside their homes, seeing that supplies are not readily available at their local grocery stores, and realizing that luxuries such as chocolate and other sweets are hard to come by, I suspect that hungry people will pounce on the supply of Rescue Chocolate that I will be shipping over to Cairo,” she said.
Previous monthly beneficiaries of Rescue Chocolate have included United Animal Nations, the No-Kill Advocacy Center, Farm Sanctuary, and In Defense of Animals.
The company offers a product line of kosher and vegan chocolate bars and truffles. Products are handcrafted at a small factory in Brooklyn and packaged in eco-friendly materials. Each flavor is named after an issue important in the animal rescue world. For example, there are bars called Peanut Butter Pit Bull, Pick Me! Pepper, Foster-iffic Peppermint, The Fix, and Mission Feral Fig.
Rescue Chocolate was founded in January 2010. Products are sold in retail outlets around the country as well as online at www.RescueChocolate.com.
For more information on EMRO, visit www.emaurescue.org.
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The continuing political upheaval in the Middle East was a factor in deciding to name EMRO as the new beneficiary, according to Rescue Chocolate founder Sarah Gross.
A different non-profit group is picked each month to receive the chocolate company’s largesse.
EMRO has supporters in the United States, but it is headquartered in Cairo and operates an animal shelter there. During the first several weeks of the political protests and demonstrations in Egypt, workers could not get to the shelter on a regular basis. Also, people fleeing the unrest were forced to turn their animals loose on the streets, leading to a greater need for animal services.
After 15 days of protests in Tahrir Square, staff was able to return to the shelter on a limited basis, but they remained under curfew. Basic pet supplies were in short supply, and pet shops were being looted, according to EMRO information manager Cheryl McMurray.
For Egyptians wishing to leave the country with their pets, some of the airlines operating out of the Cairo airport balked. “Flights from various countries have been allowed to land and pick-up their countrymen, but there is still a problem with some airlines that are refusing to allow people to fly out with their animals,” reports EMRO volunteer Aida Marina.
Founded in 2004, EMRO’s main mission has little to do with contemporary Egyptian politics. Rather, it is dedicated to rescuing the Egyptian Mau cat from extinction and to promoting awareness of the species’ role in ancient Egypt. Mau cats are direct descendants of the temple cats once worshiped in the time of the Pharaohs. They were the first domesticated cat in history, and they remain the only naturally occurring small spotted cat in the world.
According to EMRO literature, the breed is under attack. In their homeland, the Mau is unrecognized, routinely poisoned when found in feral colonies, and often suffers from endemic feline diseases.
EMRO serves as an international adoption agency for people wishing to welcome the breed into their homes. The organization also coordinates Mau escort services for people traveling from Egypt to the United States. It runs veterinary clinics and boarding facilities and uses the proceeds from those ventures, together with donations, to fund its rescue programs.
McMurray said she is excited to add Rescue Chocolate to EMRO’s array of fundraisers. She plans to ship some to her contacts in Egypt.
“I’m sure it will be a big hit both at our bazaars and at gatherings attended by expatriates. After weeks of being forced to remain inside their homes, seeing that supplies are not readily available at their local grocery stores, and realizing that luxuries such as chocolate and other sweets are hard to come by, I suspect that hungry people will pounce on the supply of Rescue Chocolate that I will be shipping over to Cairo,” she said.
Previous monthly beneficiaries of Rescue Chocolate have included United Animal Nations, the No-Kill Advocacy Center, Farm Sanctuary, and In Defense of Animals.
The company offers a product line of kosher and vegan chocolate bars and truffles. Products are handcrafted at a small factory in Brooklyn and packaged in eco-friendly materials. Each flavor is named after an issue important in the animal rescue world. For example, there are bars called Peanut Butter Pit Bull, Pick Me! Pepper, Foster-iffic Peppermint, The Fix, and Mission Feral Fig.
Rescue Chocolate was founded in January 2010. Products are sold in retail outlets around the country as well as online at www.RescueChocolate.com.
For more information on EMRO, visit www.emaurescue.org.
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Contact
Rescue Chocolate
Sarah Gross
917 767 7283
www.rescuechocolate.com
Sarah Gross
917 767 7283
www.rescuechocolate.com
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