The #BettyWhiteChallenge Helped Boost Donations For Animal Shelters And Organizations

Betty White is smiling down on us from a heated throne being fanned by cherubs as the memory of the dearly departed actress, who passed away on New Year’s Eve at 99, lives on through her love of animals. In honor of what would’ve been Betty’s 100th birthday on January 17, the #BettyWhiteChallenge was born on social media and it encouraged people to donate $5 to animal shelters, rescues, and other organizations. Betty adored animals and did tons of work with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and even received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal in 2017 for her charitable work with zoos and animal shelters. Well, she’s still doing more for the animals than any PETA billboard ever could, as donations are pouring in this week which would have been her 100th birthday.

Betty passed from a stroke, but even though she’s gone, Betty’s friendship with the animals is lingering! She did tons of charity work and many of the organizations she worked with told stories of her work. The Audobon Nature Institute spoke about how she once paid to relocate zoo and aquarium penguins and sea otters from New Orleans to California during Hurricane Katrina, saying that she “did not ask for fanfare, she just wanted to help.” And she’s still helping, as People says that a rep for GoFundMe confirms that animal-specific fundraisers and donations to animal-related fundraisers are up in the two weeks since Betty passed away, and apparently other organizations are seeing the same trends.

“The outpouring of love, the amazing amount of donations being given to all types of animal organizations is such a tribute to how Betty lived her life,” her friend and longtime agent Jeff Witjas tells PEOPLE. “As Betty would say, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.””

“She would love that so much,” her executive personal assistant Kiersten Mikelas tells PEOPLE. “She would be so touched to see and hear that people were honoring her by donating to local groups who work so hard to rescue and rehabilitate animals. I can’t think of a better tribute.”

Local animal shelters, all over the country, also reported a jump in donations yesterday.

Betty’s assistant Kiersten also let us see one of the final photos taken of Betty. Here’s the Facebook post, and hopefully it gets Jennifer Lopez to retire that Versace dress for real this time since Betty cleary was and is the queen of that color combination:

Betty also recorded a message for the special about her, Betty White: A Celebration. Director Steven Boettcher says Betty recorded the message just ten days before she died. Which is truly iconic! Betty was one of a kind and will never be replaced! I mean, who else could be almost 100 and still be booked and busy to the very end?

Pic: MEGA/Wenn.com