community service assignment report

How to Create a Community Engagement Report [with Examples]

When we ask citizens to share their feedback with us, it’s vital that we report back to them as to how their input has been used. Closing the loop with a comprehensive community engagement report shows respect and encourages further participation.

It’s important to show that you are listening to your community. If you invite people to participate in a community engagement project, then you need to report back to them about what you heard and how their input was used.

A community engagement report is a vital tool for building trust and creating transparency in the public participation process. It shows that you are accountable and acknowledge the community’s efforts in participating. Whether the feedback you received was positive or negative, every community engagement report is an opportunity to close the loop and shape the narrative going forward.

While you should refer to your local requirements for community engagement reporting, we have put together five elements that you could start adding to your community engagement report template:

• Introduce your project and objectives.
• Reiterate the where, when, and how.
• Describe who you engaged.
• Outline what you heard.
• Share the outcomes and next steps.

We’ve also included some community engagement report examples from a hypothetical project to help get your ideas flowing.

1. Introduce your project and objectives.

It’s important to provide a background of the project and restate its objectives, vision, and timeline. You never know who might come across your report and what level of awareness they have about your initiative. Answering the following questions will help to provide a transparent overview of your project and set the scene for your engagement report:

• Why was this project initiated?
• What does it hope to achieve?
• What was the purpose of the engagement?

Sometimes practitioners provide an executive summary or dive into the purpose and scope of the engagement project. Ultimately, the level of depth you choose should be reflective of the size of the project and the level of public involvement and influence.

The aim of Project Apple was to engage with key stakeholders, including residents and traders, to better understand and appreciate their views and experiences while developing a shared vision for the future of Apple Street.

The overall objectives included:

• Understand the needs of Apple Street stakeholders
• Improved public safety and amenity of the Apple Street precinct for residents and businesses
• Enhanced visitor experience of the precinct

2. Reiterate the where, when, and how.

It’s important to refresh the community on the engagement activities that were conducted. This helps reiterate what opportunities were open and available to the community during the consultation period.

Describe both the face-to-face and digital engagement techniques your team used, as well as how you promoted the project to your community. It can also be helpful to include the channels that you informed the community on as well as the level of reach that you achieved overall.

A community engagement snapshot can be included here to briefly showcase the key touchpoints, tools, and techniques that were utilized for the project.

Did you use online surveys , ideas walls , or forums to spark discussion? Maybe you also used face-to-face workshops to collaborate with your community. Make sure you list and summarise every engagement tool that was used.

Explaining what elements of your project the community could influence and to what level also provides helpful context for when you share the project’s outcomes and next steps.

It also shows your respect for the community’s time, i.e. that you engage closely when influence is high and scale back when it is more limited.

A range of communication and engagement activities were undertaken to inform, consult, and involve participants across the community.

Broad promotion of the public engagement opportunity was through a range of corporate communication channels and community networks including:

• Community Pop-Ups: Several community pop-ups were held during November at two key locations. The pop-ups included a mix of interactive methods to encourage community participation.
• Online Engagement Portal: The Social Pinpoint portal provided the opportunity for the stakeholders to share their feedback and experiences relating to Apple Street. The portal was open for feedback for 8 weeks, commencing on the 1st of September 2022.
• Stakeholder Consultations: Project teams conducted in-person consultations with key local, industry, and government stakeholders relevant to their focus areas. This engagement occurred from the 1st of September to the 15th of October 2022.

3. Describe who engaged.

Your engagement team needs to share if it identified people and groups who were likely to be affected by your decision and ensure that they had the opportunity to participate .

Outlining the demographics and engagement metrics of your participants also helps the community to ascertain if the feedback was representative, or if it runs the risk of being skewed towards specific stakeholders.

Explain if you used methods that empowered underrepresented groups to get involved and outline how you made the public participation opportunity accessible . Also, remember to outline if the circumstances evolved throughout the project and if you included newly identified stakeholders as necessary throughout the process.

It can be helpful to present demographic information, such as the community groups and ages of people who engaged using easy-to-understand visual charts and graphs.

If you’re asking participants the right questions upon registration, you’ll be able to conduct a participant analysis with the demographic data.

Reports commonly provide an overview of geographic locations, age, and gender in the form of visual graphs or tables.

4. Outline what you heard.

To show that you were actively listening to your community and provide transparency, it’s essential that you outline what was heard.

Share what the community told you by presenting a digestible combination of quantitative and qualitative data. Highlight the community’s top concerns, major themes, and key issues. Share what the community liked about your project, as well as the ideas and opportunities that they put forward.

Use visually impactful ways to share data, such as graphs, charts, and word clouds. While quantitative data can show the popularity or size of different issues, including statements and quotes from the community can also provide valuable context and insights.

It’s also important to acknowledge any negativity or resistance that you received , as all feedback is valuable and can provide helpful insights for the next steps that your organization should take.

We received 784 contributions for the Project Apple engagement.

90% of these respondents live in close proximity to the project area of interest. Of those, 78% regularly visit or access Apple Street.

When asked what they feel defines the Apple Street area, residents said:

• Apple Street is a green and leafy community with access to parks, open spaces, and the foreshore.
• Apple Street has many beautiful character homes which define the area and should be protected.
• Sentiment towards South Apple Street was noticeably more negative, with words such as ‘disjointed’, ‘sad’, and ‘unloved’.
• There is a high level of support (92%) for the concept plan to revitalize Apple Street.

“It is wonderful to see that after living in Apple Street for 19 years, something is finally being done about this area. Being a small town, besides the beach, there is not a lot for young people to do. This will be a great place for them to hang out.”

5. Share the outcomes and next steps.

To encourage future participation and operate with transparency, it’s important to explain the outcomes of the engagement process. Outline how the community’s feedback has been used in an easy-to-understand and actionable summary.

If the community can easily understand how their feedback has been considered and applied, this creates a successful two-way dialogue. Reflecting on the following questions should help:

• Did you meet the objectives of the engagement?
• What actions is your team now taking based on the feedback?
• What’s coming up next in the engagement project process?
• What impact do you hope that your actions will have in the community?
• How can people stay informed on the issue at hand and continue to follow your progress?

There is strong support for the draft concept plan for Apple Street.

Funding has been allocated in the current financial year to progress the detailed design of Apple Street. These results will be used to inform the ultimate design. Funding is being sought through grant streams and the Council budget for construction.

Based on the emerging themes and feedback provided, designs will endeavor to prioritize the highest-rated and most requested elements.

Community engagement reports empower citizens to move forward toward a common goal.

After gathering input from the community and observing their needs, sharing a community engagement report provides transparency over what was heard and what the next steps are.

Every report gives citizens an opportunity to understand diverse perspectives, consider different solutions, and provide further feedback as you implement a shared vision.

Start engaging with your community today.

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How to Write a Report on Community Service & What to Include

How to Build an Outline for a Personal Narrative

According to a 2010 survey by DoSomething.org, evidence of community service is one of the four most important things to include in a college admission packet. Consider using your volunteer experience as the subject for your college admission essay. This is an ideal opportunity to show how volunteering has helped you grow and develop. Long-term commitment to helping others shows your ability to stick with something and provides a glimpse of who you are as a person.

Inventory Your Experience

Before you begin writing, reflect upon what it has meant to be involved in community service. Write down your volunteer experiences and rank them from having the most to least impact on you. Jot down some notes about why you got involved and what you learned from your experience. Consider how you’ve changed as a result of helping others. Note who helped you along the way, and what you learned about community needs. This information will serve as an outline for your report.

Use a Specific Introduction

Begin your essay with a statement that directly introduces your community service experience. For example: “Volunteering at the local food bank helped me realize how fortunate I am to eat three meals each day.” Follow it up with two or three main points that you’ll cover in the body of your essay. You should include why getting involved in the community is a personal value. The introduction will signal a college admission committee that you took the initiative to volunteer and that you learned something from the experience.

Write a Detailed Narrative

The body of your report should reflect your passion for serving the community. Explain why you chose a specific cause and what you did in your role as a volunteer. Provide examples of the outcomes of your community service experience. What did you accomplish, and how did it feel to be involved? Combine facts about the organization you served with personal emotion connected to what you learned from the experience. This section fills in the details for the reader and tells more about your personal character as a volunteer.

End With a Compelling Conclusion

The conclusion of your report should reinforce the main storyline and shed light on your plans. Think of this section as the “now what?” part of your report. Describe how the experience has shaped your plans. For example, describe how you plan to continue your service involvement, and whether your career path will be related in some way. Use your conclusion to show how you’ve been transformed by your experience. A strong conclusion should compel the reader to want to know more about you and your cause.

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Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. Dr. Meier is is a regular contributor for The Equity Network and has worked in education for more than 30 years. She has numerous publications with Talico, Inc., DynaTEAM Consulting, Inc. and Kinect Education Group.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 129 great examples of community service projects.

Extracurriculars

Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do? Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications.

Read on for dozens of community service ideas to help you get started volunteering.

What Is Community Service?

Community service is work done by a person or group of people that benefits others. It is often done near the area where you live, so your own community reaps the benefits of your work. You do not get paid to perform community service, but volunteer your time.

Community service can help many different groups of people: children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, even animals and the environment. Community service is often organized through a local group, such as a place of worship, school, or non-profit organization, but you can also start your own community service projects.

Many people participate in community service because they enjoy helping others and improving their community. Some students are required to do community service in order to graduate high school or to receive certain honors. Some adults are also ordered by a judge to complete a certain number of community service hours.

Why Should You Participate in Community Service?

There are numerous benefits to participating in community service, both for yourself and others. Below are some of the most important benefits of volunteering:

• Gives you a way to help others
• Helps improve your community
• Can help strengthen your resume and college applications
• Can be a way to meet new friends
• Often results in personal growth
• Gives you a way to gain work experience and learn more about certain jobs

How Should You Use This List?

This list of over one hundred community service examples is organized by category , so if you're particularly interested in working with, say, children or animals, you can easily find community service activities more related to your interests.

In order to use this list most effectively, read through it and make note of any community service ideas that match your interests and that you may want to participate in. Some considerations to keep in mind are:

Is there a specific group of people or cause you are passionate about? Look for projects that relate to your passion and interests. You may also just want to perform particular community service activities that allow you to do hobbies you enjoy, like baking or acting, and that's fine too.

Perhaps you don't have enough time to regularly devote to community service. In that case, it may be better to look for opportunities that only occur once or sporadically, such as planning special events or helping build a house.

Some people prefer to participate in community service activities that have a quantifiable impact, for example, activities where you know the specific number of kids you tutored, dollars you raised, or cans of food you collected. This is in contrast to activities that don't have such clear numbers, such as creating a garden or serving as a volunteer lifeguard. Some people prefer quantifiable activities because they feel they look stronger on college applications, or because they simply enjoy knowing their exact impact on the community.

Many community service activities can help you gain skills. These skills can range from teaching to medicine to construction and more. If there is a particular skill you'd like to learn for future classes, jobs, or just out of personal interest, you may want to see if there is a community service activity that helps you learn that skill.

List of Community Service Examples

Below I've listed over 100 community service ideas to get you started with brainstorming.

General Ideas

Donate or raise money for your local Red Cross

Organize a community blood drive

Send cards to soldiers serving overseas

For your next birthday, ask for charitable donations instead of gifts

Hold a bake sale for your favorite charity

Read books or letters to a person who is visually impaired

Organize a wheelchair basketball team

Participate in a charity race

Organize an event or parade for Memorial Day

Volunteer to help at a charity auction

Participate in National Youth Service Day in April

Contact a tree farm about donating Christmas trees to nursing homes, hospitals, or to families who can't afford to buy their own

Collect unused makeup and perfume to donate to a center for abused women

Help register people to vote

Organize a car wash and donate the profits to charity

• Help deliver meals and gifts to patients at a local hospital
• Write articles / give speeches advocating financial literarcy. First you should learn about the topics themselves, like calculating housing costs, or understanding personal loans, and then give presentations on these topics.

Helping Children and Schools

Tutor children during or after school

Donate stuffed animals to children in hospitals

Organize games and activities for children in hospitals or who are visiting hospitalized relatives

Knit or crochet baby blankets to be donated to hospitals or homeless shelters

Collect baby clothes and supplies to donate to new parents

Organize a Special Olympics event for children and teenagers

Sponsor a bike-a-thon and give away bike safety gear, like helmets and knee pads , as prizes

Collect used sports equipment to donate to families and after-school programs

Volunteer at a summer camp for children who have lost a parent

Sponsor a child living in a foreign country, either on your own or as part of a group

Coach a youth sports team

Put on performances for children in hospitals

Give free music lessons to schoolchildren

Become a volunteer teen crisis counselor

Organize a summer reading program to encourage kids to read

Organize an Easter egg hunt for neighborhood children

Create a new game for children to play

Organize events to help new students make friends

Babysit children during a PTA meeting

Organize a reading hour for children at a local school or library

Donate used children's books to a school library

Work with the local health department to set up an immunization day or clinic to immunize children against childhood diseases

• Volunteer to help with Vacation Bible School or other religious camps

Helping Senior Citizens

Read to residents at a nursing home

Deliver groceries and meals to elderly neighbors

Teach computer skills to the elderly

Drive seniors to doctor appointments

Mow an elderly neighbor's lawn

Host a bingo night for nursing home residents

Host a holiday meal for senior citizens

Make birthday cards for the elderly

Donate and decorate a Christmas tree at a nursing home

Organize a family day for residents of a retirement home and relatives to play games together

Ask residents of a retirement home to tell you about their lives

Pick up medicine for an elderly neighbor

Perform a concert or play at a senior center

Help elderly neighbors clean their homes and organize their belongings

Rake leaves, shovel snow, or wash windows for a senior citizen

• Deliver cookies to a homebound senior citizen

Helping Animals and the Environment

Take care of cats and dogs at an animal shelter

Clean up a local park

Raise money to provide a bulletproof vest for a police dog

Plant a tree for Arbor Day

Place a bird feeder and bird fountain in your backyard

Start a butterfly garden in your community

Sponsor a recycling contest

Grow flowers in your backyard then give bouquets to hospital patients or people who are housebound

Help create a new walking trail at a nature center or park

Update the signs along a nature trail

Adopt an acre of rainforest

Help train service dogs

Participate in the cleanup of a local river, pond, or lake

Foster animals that shelters don't have space for

Organize a spay and neuter your pet program

Care for a neighbor's pet while they are away

Sponsor an animal at your local zoo

Train your pet to be a therapy animal and bring it to hospitals or nursing homes

Build and set up a bird house

Organize a carpool to reduce car emissions

Campaign for more bike lanes in your town

Volunteer at a nature camp and teach kids about the environment

Test the water quality of a lake or river near you

• Plant native flowers or plants along highways

Helping the Hungry and/or Homeless

Build a house with Habitat for Humanity

Donate your old clothes

Volunteer at a soup kitchen

Donate old eyeglasses to an organization that collects that and distributes them to people in need

Donate non-perishable food to a food bank

Donate blankets to a homeless shelter

Host a Thanksgiving dinner for people who may not be able to afford their own

Offer to babysit or nanny for a family in need

Make "care kits" with shampoo , toothbrushes , combs , etc. to donate to homeless shelters

Prepare a home-cooked meal for the residents of a nearby homeless shelter

Collect grocery coupons to give to a local food bank

Help repair or paint a local homeless shelter

Donate art supplies to kids in a homeless shelter

Help organize and sort donations at a homeless shelter

Babysit children while their parents look for jobs

Become a Big Buddy for children at a homeless shelter

Take homeless children on outings

Bake a batch of cookies or loaf of bread and deliver it to a soup kitchen

Build flower boxes for Habitat for Humanity houses

Organize a winter clothes drive to collect coats, hats, scarves, and gloves to be donated

Make first aid kits for homeless shelters

Reducing Crime and Promoting Safety

Volunteer at a police station or firehouse

Become a certified lifeguard and volunteer at a local pool or beach

Paint over graffiti in your neighborhood

Organize a self-defense workshop

Organize a drug-free campaign

Sponsor a drug-free post-prom event

Start or join a neighborhood watch program

Create and distribute a list of hotlines for people who might need help

Teach a home-alone safety class for children

Create a TV or radio public service announcement against drug and alcohol use

Become CPR certified

• Volunteer as a crossing guard for an elementary school

Promoting Community Enhancement

Paint park benches

Donate used books to your local library

Become a tour guide at your local museum

Repaint community fences

Plant flowers in bare public areas

Organize a campaign to raise money to buy and install new playground equipment for a park

Participate in or help organize a community parade

Clean up vacant lot

Produce a neighborhood newspaper

Campaign for more lighting along poorly lit streets

Create a newcomers group in your neighborhood to help welcome new families

Petition your town leaders to build more drinking fountains and public restrooms

Volunteer to clean up trash at a community event

Adopt a local highway or road and clean up trash along it

Help fix or raise funds to repair a run-down playground

Clean up after a natural disaster

Now that you know what your options are for community service, you can take the following steps to start getting involved:

#1: Look over your interests: Which activities seem most appealing to you? Were they mostly in one particular category, like children or the environment? If so, that's a good starting place for choosing specific organizations to contact.

#2: Figure out how much time you can devote to community service: Are you available for two hours every week? Are you not free on a regular basis but can volunteer for an entire weekend now and then?

Think about transportation as well and how you'll be able to get to different locations. Knowing this information will help you choose which community service projects to pursue, and it's helpful information for volunteer coordinators to know.

#3: Do some research to see what projects you can do in your community: Check at your school, place of worship, or town hall for more information on volunteering. You can also contact the place where you'd like to perform your community service, such as a particular animal shelter or nursing home, and ask if they take volunteers.

#4: Start volunteering! This list ranges from small projects that you can complete on your own in a few hours, to much larger projects that will take more time and people. If you find a project you can start on your own, do it!

If you want to do a project where you'll need more resources or people, check around your community to see if a similar program already exists that you can join. If not, don't be afraid to start your own! Many organizations welcome new volunteers and community service projects.

Additional Information

Considering doing volunteer work in another country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn whether or not you should participate in one.

Are you in college or will be starting soon? Extracurriculars are one of the best parts of college! Check out our guide to learn which extracurricular activities you should consider in college .

Did you know that you can use your community service work to help pay for college? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to win community service scholarships.

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Humane Society  of the Palouse

"helping those who cannot help themselves.".

The Humane Society is always happy to have volunteers come out and help care for our animals. The animals like new faces as well.

Are you interested in Volunteering?  Please contact HSoP and schedule your first shift!  Due to limited space, HSoP can only accommodate so many volunteers at one time. 

Volunteer Hours are available Monday through Friday from 2:00-5:00. We can schedule up to three volunteers at a time. 

Sign up for your shift today! 

Contact HSoP by phone at (208) 883-1166 or through email at

[email protected]

Do you have questions about volunteering with us? Click here to visit our Volunteering FAQs !

Junior Volunteers

Additional Guidelines for Younger Volunteers

You must be at least 12 years old to be a junior volunteer. During their first volunteering shift, junior volunteers must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to go over rules, sign the application, and ensure their child understands the process. 

After the initial supervised shift, junior volunteers can volunteer alone for up to one hour per day.  Junior volunteers are not allowed in the dog kennels without their parent or guardian. 

There is a 3-strikes rule!  If we have to remind you about following these rules three times, you will not be allowed to return to volunteer without a parent.

HSoP cannot accommodate volunteers under the age of 12 at this time. 

***Junior Volunteers can socialize with animals that are already accustomed to younger people.  If an animal is not comfortable or socialized with children, you will not be allowed to interact with them.***

Dog Walking

Our dogs love getting to go on walks! These mini adventures offer a fun break from the shelter environment, and give our pups a chance to practice their leash skills before going home. If you'd like to help our pups get some relaxing walks in, we would love to have your help!

If you haven't already, be sure to fill out and submit a volunteer application. 

Next, fill out and submit the dog walking form above. Be sure to carefully read all guidelines. 

Just like that, you're all set to walk some dogs! We will ask to hold onto your ID while you're out. 

***Junior volunteers cannot walk dogs by themselves. If they are accompanied by an adult parent or guardian, then the junior volunteer can accompany the adult for the walk, but may not control the leash.***

Group Volunteering

Thank you for considering HSoP as the beneficiary of your groups’ philanthropy! Due to space restrictions at HSoP, we are unable to accommodate large groups of volunteers on site.  However, groups can do a lot for the animals currently at HSoP by organizing fundraisers, pet food drives, or pet supply collections for the homeless animals of Latah County.

While we aren’t able to accommodate groups at our shelter, your group efforts can still make a huge difference to the homeless animals found within your community.

After your group has organized a fundraiser, supported a pet food drive for our Pet Food Pantry, or done a supply collection, a tour is a wonderful way to top off the experience!  This is a great way for your group to see exactly how your efforts have benefited your pet community.

To schedule a group tour, or for fun ideas for group projects, please contact us by phone at  (208)883-1166 or through email at  [email protected] .

Fun ideas for how groups can help:

Volunteering at HSoP events

Supply donation drives

Pet food drives

Making dog toys

Making dog treats

Making cat treats

Making cat toys

Making blankets for our kitties!

Our cats and kittens love to lie on handmade blankets. You can knit, crochet, or tie blanks out of fleece. The recommended measurement is about 18-20” x 18-20” when you’re finished.

Court-Mandated Community Service

Thank you for your interest in serving your mandated community service hours at the Humane Society of the Palouse. Individuals seeking to fulfill community service requirements do not participate in the volunteer program: they complete projects and tasks that do not involve any contact with the animals or the clients at the shelter.

Community Service Volunteers must read the guidelines, complete information profile, and sign the code of conduct/waiver in order to get started. Please note that the Humane Society of the Palouse reserves the right to refuse a Community Service Volunteer for any reason.

Community Service Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.

Volunteers must schedule in advance

Time slots available are from 9:30 am – 12:00 pm, Monday – Saturday

To sign up, please contact HSoP by phone at (208) 883-1166

HSoP reserves the right to turn away any Community Service Volunteers who do not show up on time, and to ask Community Service Volunteers to leave early if there is not enough work available.

Shifts are filled on a first come, first serve basis and HSoP can only accommodate 1 volunteer per day.

Duties may include laundry, dishes, sorting donations, cleaning, and more.

Dress Protocol

To prevent slipping, exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals, and injuries, all Community Service Volunteers must wear flat, enclosed rubber-sole shoes at all times.

All Community Service Volunteers must not wear thong sandals, flip flops, or any shoe with an open toe, torn clothing, cut-off shorts, T-shirts with controversial or offensive messages, halter tops, backless shirts, half-shirts, muscle shirts, tank tops, dangling earrings, or other jewelry that may interfere with volunteer duties.

DIY Volunteering Ideas

Are you interested in helping HSoP but are unable to come into HSoP during our hours of operation? 

This page has ideas for how you can still help homeless animals.  Did you know that providing homeless dogs and cats with toys is very important for their well-being?  The ideas on this page can help you make some very special critters their own toys that are theirs to keep both at HSoP and in their new home.  

Do you have a large group that would like to help HSoP? 

These ideas are great for a large group to do together and then bring into HSoP.  Under each idea, you will find how many volunteer hours you can receive for donating these DIY items. 

Stuffed Monkey’s Fist Knot:

1 hour awarded per every 2 toys.

Click here  for instructions.

No-Sew Fleece Blankets:

1 hour awarded per every 2 blankets.

Click here   for instructions.

Fleece Dog & Cat Toy:

1 hour awarded per every 5 toys.

Flirt Pole:

Ball & Tug Dog Toy

Check out this fun PDF for even more ideas on DIY dog and cat toys!

• Does HSoP euthanize animals? The Humane Society of the Palouse is a low/no-kill shelter. HSoP will not euthanize adoptable animals due to space. We’ve stayed true to our mission for 45 years and are committed to preserving and nurturing the lives of all the rescued animals in our care. We reserve humane euthanasia only in instances when animals are suffering greatly with no potential for relief, or if an animal is so aggressive that he or she presents a danger to people or other animals and cannot be safely handled or placed. The decision to euthanize is never made lightly and done only with the best interest of the animal in mind. HSoP is committed to providing all of the animals we rescue with the individualized and compassionate care they need and deserve until they are adopted by responsible, loving people.
• How many canines does HSoP help per year? Each year HSoP provides temporary housing for anywhere from 200-300 dogs.
• How many dogs are returned to their owner, and how many are adopted out per year? For stray dogs that are found within Moscow city limits, HSoP on average will be able to reunite 60% with their owners and 40% will remain in shelter care until adopted. Whereas stray dogs that are found outside of Moscow city limits, HSoP on average will be able to reunite 40% with their owners and 60% will remain in shelter care until adopted. We strongly encourage all pet owners to equip their pets with accurate ID to increase the likelihood of them coming home if they ever get lost. We encourage microchip ID for all pets, and strongly recommend a collar with an ID tag containing the owner's contact number.
• How many felines does HSoP help per year? Each year HSoP provides temporary housing for anywhere from 200-300 cats. HSoP generally has more cats than dogs
• How many cats are returned to their owner, and how many are adopted out per year? For stray cats that are found within Moscow city limits, HSoP on average will be able to reunite 10% with their owners and 90% will remain in shelter care until adopted. Whereas stray cats that are found outside of Moscow city limits, HSoP on average will be able to reunite 1% with their owners and 99% will remain in shelter care until adopted. We strongly encourage all pet owners to equip their pets with accurate ID to increase the likelihood of them coming home if they ever get lost. We encourage microchip ID for all pets, and strongly recommend a collar with an ID tag containing the owner's contact number. Cats should wear breakaway collars if possible.
• How is HSoP funded? For a more detailed view of HSoP finances, visit our Financial Transparency page.
• How much funding needs to be donated or raised by HSoP to make up the 35% and 8% of the annual budget? Each year, HSoP has to raise over $80,000 through donations and fundraising just to keep our doors open. ​ This is why any size donation is greatly appreciated. Without the generous and continued support of our pet community, HSoP would not be able to do what we do. Donate today!
• Is the Humane Society of the Palouse part of the Humane Society of the United States? No. HSoP has no affiliation with HSUS or the ASPCA. Though we do look to the national animal welfare organizations to stay current with best practices, we do not receive funding nor are we affiliated with them. HSoP does apply for grants through these large national organizations, however HSoP does not receive annual funding from the HSUS or ASPCA.
• Who is involved with HSoP? City of Moscow, Chief of Police City of Moscow owns the building and pays for utilities and make up 22% of HSoP yearly budget. Latah county provides 10% of HSoPs’ yearly budget. HSoP presents to the County Commissioners every year to request funding. HSoP Voluntary Board of Directors 14 members who bring a variety of expertise to the organization. HSoP has a full time staff of 5 that include: Shelter Director Animal Care Attendants Public Relations Manager Countless Volunteers
• Does the Humane Society of the Palouse pick up stray animals? The Humane Society does not pick up animals. Stray dogs found within Moscow city limits can be reported to the Animal Control Officer by calling (208)882-2677. If a stray dog is found in Latah County, citizens can call the Latah County Sheriff’s office at (208)882-2216 for assistance, but do so knowing there is no animal control for Latah County. There is no animal control for stray cats.
• Where does HSoP list stray or impounded animals? HSoP lists all stray or unclaimed animals on our Facebook page. To see the most recent stray and impounded animals, please visit our Facebook page through this link: Humane Society of the Palouse | Facebook
• If my pet is missing, could it be at the animal shelter? Hundreds of companion animals come into the shelter every year from Latah County. If your pet is missing, it is important that you contact the shelter as soon as possible so that a missing pet report can be completed and shelter staff can be notified to look for your pet. It is also important that you visit the shelter in-person and look for your pet on a regular basis. Please remember that it is the responsibility of the pet owner to search for their missing pet; however, HSoP will do everything possible to assist you in doing so. We also encourage posting a photo, description and information about where your pet went missing from as well as when to local lost and found groups on Facebook.
• What happens if my pet is brought to the shelter? If your pet is not readily identifiable by tag or microchip, your pet will be held for a stray holding period. Dogs found in the City of Moscow have a 10-day holding period. Dogs found outside of Moscow but within Latah County have a 6-day holding period. Cats found anywhere within Moscow or Latah County have a 6-day holding period. The Shelter will make every effort to contact you regarding your pet during this time. Reclaim fees apply in each situation and must be paid prior to reclaiming your pet. Unclaimed pets become the property of HSoP following the end of a stray holding period. Once this happens, they start the process of becoming ready for adoption. Please ensure that all of your pets have accurate ID to increase the chance of being reunited with them if they ever get lost.
• What does it cost to reclaim my pet from the shelter? Pet owners are charged an impound fee of $20.00. To reclaim a dog that lives within Moscow city limits, if the dog is not already licensed with the city, the purchase of a lifetime license is mandatory. The license is $25.00 for altered dogs and $35.00 for intact dogs. Boarding fees of $10.00 per day are charged for each day of impound after the initial twenty-four hours of arrival at the Shelter
• Do I have to have my pet spayed or neutered? Spaying or neutering is not required for reclaimed pets, although we encourage responsible sterilization of pets and offer assistance through S.N.A.P. Spaying or neutering your pets can prevent unwanted litters and even prevent some cancers in your beloved cat or dog. There are already so many homeless cats and dogs at the shelter, we don't need anymore! If you are in need of assistance having your pet spayed or neutered, please apply for our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP).
• If I witness what I believe to be an act of animal cruelty, who do I call? Humane Society of the Palouse encourages the public to IMMEDIATELY report acts of animal cruelty or neglect to Animal Control by calling (208) 882-2677 if occurring within Moscow city limits, and (208) 882-2216 if occurring in Latah County. HSoP does not have the ability to report cruelty or neglect secondhand. If we are contacted about situations of this kind, we will direct them to contact local law enforcement.
• Does HSoP offer veterinary services to the pulbic? Though we would love to offer spaying/neutering and vaccination services to our local pet community, HSoP does not have the ability or facilities to do so at this time. HSoP does offer assistance through our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), and microchipping services. For a list of local veterinary services, please view the Veterinary Services resource page in the HSoP Resource Library.
• Does it cost money to surrender an owned animal? Yes. HSoP does ask for a small donation to help provide care for owned pets that have been surrendered. Please visit our Owner Surrender page to learn more.
• How old do I have to be to visit the shelter? Anyone is welcome to visit the shelter during our open hours! We do have some restrictions about who can see and interact with shelter pets: - You must be at least 18 years old to enter our dog kennels or to interact with our adoptable dogs without a parent or guardian present. - You must be at least 18 years old to interact with our adoptable cats without a parent or guardian present (unless you're working a junior volunteer shift). - Those 17 and under are welcome to visit the shelter and interact will all of our adoptable pets, so long as they're accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18.
• I'm going on vacation, can you board my pet? No. At this time HSoP does not offer boarding services for pets. There are several boarding facilities throughout Latah County and most vet clinics will also board. For a list of local boarding services, please view our Pet Boarding Services resource sheet in the HSoP Resource Library.
• I found a wild animal hurt in my yard, what should I do? HSoP is not equipped care for wildlife. If you've found an injured or orphaned wild bird or animal, please call Palouse Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation at (208) 614-2273. For more information, please visit their website: Palouse Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
• I found a feral cat, what do I do? HSoP does not have the ability to provide care for feral cats within our facility. We do have a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for feral cats living on owned property in Latah County. The program intends to reduce feline infectious diseases and homeless cat births in our region, by providing feral cats with vaccines, spay/neuter surgeries, and ear-tips for identification.
• Why can’t I bring my animal to the Humane Society of the Palouse if I live outside of Latah County? HSoP does not euthanize to make space. We do not have the capacity, space, or manpower to receive animals from outside of the agreed jurisdiction we have with the City of Moscow and Latah County. We recommend contacting the shelter that services your county and they may be able to help.

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Agent Removed From Harris’s Detail After ‘Distressing’ Behavior

The Secret Service agent was removed during an incident on Monday morning shortly before Vice President Kamala Harris left for a campaign event in Wisconsin.

By Hamed Aleaziz and Jazmine Ulloa

A U.S. Secret Service agent was removed from Vice President Kamala Harris’s security detail this week after the officer “began displaying behavior their colleagues found distressing,” an agency spokesman said on Thursday.

The incident happened Monday morning at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, shortly before Ms. Harris left for a campaign event in Wisconsin. A New York Times reporter who was among the media members traveling with Ms. Harris heard medical personnel trying to calm a person down at the scene. The incident was earlier reported by The Washington Examiner .

“At approximately 9 a.m. April 22, a U.S. Secret Service special agent supporting the vice president’s departure from Joint Base Andrews began displaying behavior their colleagues found distressing,” the Secret Service spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, said in a statement.

“The agent was removed from their assignment while medical personnel were summoned,” Mr. Guglielmi said. He added that Ms. Harris was at the Naval Observatory in Washington, where the vice president lives, during the incident and that “there was no impact on her departure from Joint Base Andrews.”

Secret Service officials did not provide any further information on the incident, saying only that it was a “medical matter.”

Hamed Aleaziz covers the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy. More about Hamed Aleaziz

Jazmine Ulloa is a national politics reporter for The Times, covering the 2024 presidential campaign. She is based in Washington. More about Jazmine Ulloa

Independent review panel releases final report on UNRWA

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An independent panel released its much-awaited report on Monday about the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), providing 50 recommendations and noting that Israeli authorities have yet to provide proof of their claims that UN staff are involved with terrorist organisations.

“Israel made public claims that a significant number of UNRWA employees are members of terrorist organisations. However, Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence of this,” according to the 54-page  final report , Independent review of mechanisms and procedures to ensure adherence by UNRWA to the humanitarian principle of neutrality .

The UN Secretary-General, who received the final report at the weekend, had appointed the independent review group days after Israel announced the allegations against UNRWA, which employees 30,000 people and serves 5.9 million Palestine refugees in the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and war-torn Gaza.

The much-awaited final report found that UNRWA, established by the General Assembly in 1949, has extensive tools in place to ensure it remains unbiased in its work and routinely provides Israel with employee lists and “ the Israeli Government has not informed UNRWA of any concerns relating to any UNRWA staff based on these staff lists since 2011.”

UNRWA has ‘most elaborate’ rules within UN system

“The set of rules and the mechanisms and procedures in place [at UNRWA] are the most elaborate within the UN system, precisely because it is such a difficult issue to work in such a complex and sensitive environment,” Catherine Colonna, former French foreign minister and head of the review group, told journalists at UN Headquarters following the report’s launch. “What needs to be improved will be improved. I’m confident that implementing these measures will help UNRWA deliver on its mandate .”

Strongly encouraging "the international community to work side by side with the agency so it can perform its mission and overcome the challenges when they are there", she said “this is the purpose of the review.”

In its nine-week-long review of existing mechanisms, the group conducted more than 200 interviews, met with Israeli and Palestinian authorities and directly contacted 47 countries and organisations, presenting a set of 50 recommendations on issues ranging from education to fresh vetting processes for recruiting staff.

Report steers new UN action plan

The report’s recommendations include creating a centralised “neutrality investigations unit”, rolling out an updated Code of Ethics and associated training to all staff, and identifying and implementing additional ways to screen UNRWA applicants at an early stage of the recruitment process.

The report also suggested exploring the possibility of third-party monitoring for sensitive projects and establishing a framework with interested donors to ensure transparency.

In a  statement on Monday, the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson said the UN chief accepts the recommendations contained in Ms. Colonna’s report. He has agreed with Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini that UNRWA, with the Secretary-General’s support, will establish an action plan to implement the recommendations contained in the final report.”

Claims financially hobbled UNRWA

According to the review group’s final report, Israel’s claims against UNRWA triggered the suspension of funding amounting to around $450 million.

The direct impact of Israel’s allegations swiftly hobbled UNRWA’s ability to continue its work. Operating solely on voluntary donations, UNRWA saw major donors, including the United States, cancelling or suspending funds for the agency.

In April, Washington banned funding for UNRWA until at least 2025, but other donors have pledged additional funding or restored their donations.

The new report recommended increasing the frequency and strengthening the transparency of UNRWA’s communication with donors on its financial situation and on neutrality allegations and breaches. The review group suggested regular updates and “integrity briefings” for donors interested in supporting UNRWA on integrity and related issues.

Findings on UNRWA schools

The UN agency delivers on its obligation to ensure neutrality of its 1,000 installations, including schools, healthcare centres and warehouses, according to the report, which also stated that “security and capacity challenges may hamper” existing due diligence mechanisms.

The review group said UNRWA “has consistently worked on ensuring neutrality in education” as it provides elementary and preparatory education for 500,000 pupils in 706 schools with 20,000 educational staff, including in Gaza, where right now all children are out of school following attacks  destroying the enclave’s education system amid the ongoing conflict.

Claims of anti-Semitic textbooks

Investigating “sustained criticism, mainly from Israel”, about the alleged presence of hate speech, incitement to violence and anti-Semitism in Palestinian Authority educational material, the review group examined three major international assessments and studies.

The new report showed that two identified bias and non-compliant content, but did not provide evidence of anti-Semitic reference . A third, the Eckert report, identified two examples that displayed anti-Semitic content, but noted that one had already been removed and the other significantly altered.

As such, the report recommended several actions, including the review of the content of all textbooks with host countries, Israel and the Palestinian Authority .

UNRWA remains a pivotal ‘lifeline’ for Palestine

The report stated that “in the absence of a political solution between Israel and the Palestinians, UNRWA remains pivotal in providing lifesaving humanitarian aid and essential social services, particularly in health and education, to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank” and is “irreplaceable and indispensable to Palestinians’ human and economic development”.

“In addition, many view UNRWA as a humanitarian lifeline ,” according to the report.

The UN chief on Monday said he counted on the cooperation of the donor community, the host countries and the staff to fully cooperate in the implementation of the new report’s final recommendations, the UN Spokesperson said.

“Moving forward, the Secretary-General appeals to all stakeholders to actively support UNRWA, as it is a lifeline for Palestine refugees in the region,” he said.

Other top UN officials have voiced strong support for the agency, calling on donors to reverse funding cuts and allow UNRWA to perform its work, especially in Gaza.

In late March, Israel announced it would  reject UNRWA’s requests to deliver aid into northern Gaza, where a  famine is unfolding as Israeli authorities  continue to block or severely delay lifesaving aid shipments , according to UN officials, who  launched an appeal last week for emergency funding.

Lazzarini: Report will further strengthen UNRWA

UNRWA chief Lazzarini welcomed the report’s findings and recommendations.

“ UNRWA is developing an action plan , with a timeline and budget to take forward the report’s recommendations,” he said in a statement on Monday. 

He said implementing some of the recommendations will require extensive engagement with staff and partners, including Member States, host nations and donor countries, adding that the UN agency looks forward to cooperating with all concerned stakeholders to implement the recommendations.

“UNRWA is firmly dedicated to applying UN values and humanitarian principles,” he said. “The recommendations in this report will further strengthen our efforts and response during one of the most difficult moments in the history of the Palestinian people.”

First of two investigations

Following Israel’s allegations against UNRWA in late January, the UN agency immediately fired the staff members in question and requested a swift, impartial investigation. The UN chief ordered two.

Days later, the Secretary-General  appointed an independent review team , led by Ms. Colonna and researched by Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Michelsen Institute in Norway and the Danish Institute for Human Rights, to investigate the UNRWA’s process of ensuring neutrality in its work.

At the same time, the UN chief ordered the UN’s top watchdog, the Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS), to investigate the veracity of Israel’s claims against the 12 UNRWA staff members.

At  the outset , OIOS investigators reached out to Member States concerned, visited UNRWA headquarters in Jordan and reviewed initial information received by the agency from Israeli authorities and from a variety of sources, including that released through the media and other public outlets.

That investigation is ongoing.