Annual Report 2024 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 9
Building on a Lifelong Commitment:
Communities Foundation of Texas and the
Perry Family’s Ongoing Impact on Animals
The Phoebe and Russell Perry Endowment Fund
(Perry Fund) at Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT)
has made a profound and lasting impact on countless
pets and families. Since its creation, the Perry Fund at
CFT has granted nearly $1.2 million to support the
SPCA of Texas’ mission. The organization is deeply
grateful for its decades-long partnership with CFT
and the Perry Endowment Fund, which have been
instrumental in advancing its mission and expanding
its reach within the community.
The fund has contributed to initiatives like the Russell
H. Perry Pet Resource Center, which helps families
keep their pets by providing food, medical care, and
behavioral services to those facing 昀椀nancial hardship.
“Over the past 20 years, CFT and its funds have
donated more than $10 million to support the
SPCA of Texas,” said Newham. “This collaboration
has been transformative, and it’s a testament to the
impact that thoughtful, strategic giving can have
on an organization and the community it serves.”
Russell Perry, a longtime trustee and former board
chair of CFT, worked to shape the foundation’s vision
and values. Phoebe Perry, a passionate advocate
for animal welfare, was equally committed to
making a di昀昀erence. In the 1980s, Phoebe wrote a
groundbreaking editorial for the Dallas Morning News,
urging fellow Dallasites to do more for animals in need.
This editorial sparked her enduring relationship with
the SPCA of Texas and laid the foundation for her
lifetime of advocacy.
“One of the greatest gi昀琀s of working with donors like
Phoebe and Russell is knowing that their legacy will
continue to have an impact for generations to come,”
Newham adds.
Newham also highlights the advantages of working
with CFT for complex donations. “People can give
more types of complex assets through CFT than
many nonpro昀椀ts are able to accept on their own,”
Newham explains. “The Perrys gave stock, they
gave gi昀琀s from their IRA—those types of complex
assets are what continue to fund the SPCA of Texas’
work today.”
With CFT’s expertise, partnership, and dedication,
combined with the Perry Fund’s lasting legacy, the
SPCA of Texas will continue to thrive and provide
life-changing support to animals for generations
to come.
“Phoebe was a woman of deep conviction, and her
dedication to the SPCA of Texas was unwavering,”
said Carolyn A. Newham, JD, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary for CFT. “She wanted her giving
to be meaningful, and we were honored to help her
establish the Phoebe and Russell Perry Endowment
Fund, ensuring her passion for animal welfare would
live on through her generosity.”
Russell and Phoebe had a donor-advised fund with CFT
for years. A昀琀er Russell’s passing, Phoebe worked closely
with CFT to establish a legacy fund, ensuring that their
shared vision would continue beyond their lifetimes.
Calvert Collins-Bratton, Chief Relationships O昀昀icer
at CFT, emphasizes the personal connection between
CFT and the SPCA of Texas. “Many of our team
members, and fundholders, have adopted pets,”
Collins-Bratton shared. “This personal connection
strengthens our commitment to supporting the
organization and its mission.”
Phoebe Perry with her beloved dog, Sadie.
Opposite page: (Seated): Calvert Collins-Bratton,
Chief Relationships O昀昀icer, with Derek; Robert Kent,
Chief Philanthropy O昀昀icer. (Standing): Wayne White,
President and CEO; Carolyn A.Newham, JD,
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
