How the Public Can Support the Wildlife Center of Virginia

The Wildlife Center of Virginia, based in Waynesboro, is a teaching and research hospital for native wild animals. Members of the public can support its work in four documented ways: making a donation (including through estate planning), subscribing to the newsletter, donating cleaned acorns, chestnuts, and hickory nuts for patients, and sponsoring a classroom through the Caring for Critters program. Each option below lists what it involves and what you need before you start.

Donate or Include the Center in Your Estate Plans

The Center describes itself as grateful to supporters who have made wildlife part of their estate plans, noting that these gifts help ensure injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals continue to receive expert care and that its training and outreach work continues for generations.

• Best for: people who want to give a one-time gift or leave a lasting contribution.
• What to do: use the "Donate Now" option on the website for a direct gift. For estate planning, the Center's news item on planned giving explains the intent behind these gifts; because estate decisions are legal and financial matters, consult your own adviser about how a bequest would work in your situation.
• What to expect: your gift supports patient care plus the Center's teaching, research, and public education work.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

The site offers a "Sign Up" link at wildlifecenter.org/subscribe for its newsletter.

• Best for: staying current on patient stories, events, and needs without committing money.
• What to do: open the subscribe page and sign up with your email.
• What to expect: updates such as the ones currently featured on the site — a bald eagle release at Mason Neck State Park, the Center's appearance on VPM's Life in the Heartland, and new book tour dates. The site does not state a frequency, so treat the volume of email as unknown until you receive it.

Donate Food for Patients: Nuts

The Center has issued a call for donations of cleaned acorns, chestnuts, and hickory nuts to help feed patients through fall and winter.

• Best for: people with nut-bearing trees who want to give something practical rather than money.
• What to do: collect the nuts and clean them before donating, as the request specifies cleaned items.
• What to expect: your donation goes directly to feeding wild patients. The site does not list drop-off hours or shipping instructions in the material available, so check the full "Collecting Nuts for Wildlife" news item or contact the Center before delivering.

Sponsor a Classroom Through Caring for Critters

Caring for Critters is the Center's classroom sponsorship program, which brings wildlife into the classroom. A back-to-school promotion advertised academic-year sponsorships at half price through September 21 at 12 noon, and the Center offered to help find a classroom for buyers who did not have one in mind.

• Best for: teachers, parents, or anyone who wants to fund wildlife education for a class.
• What to do: purchase a sponsorship for your own classroom or gift one; if you don't have a classroom, ask the Center to match you with one.
• What to expect: the half-price offer was tied to a specific deadline, so confirm current pricing on the program page before buying. The site does not publish standard sponsorship prices in the material available.

Choosing Among the Options

If you are unsure which fits, start with the newsletter: it is the lowest-commitment step and the site uses it to announce time-sensitive needs like the nut collection and the sponsorship discount. From there, choose a donation, a supply drive, or a classroom sponsorship based on whether you would rather give money, goods, or educational support.