The Jordan's Way Challenges and the Reasons We Do Them

Particularly the bailout wars, this game is carefully orchestrated with one very important intention- highlighting a dog that has been in the shelter for too long, is overlooked, or difficult to adopt for one reason or another.

While Jordan’s Way does love to put the FUN in the fundraisers and build lasting relationships with shelter staff and community members, at the core of our organization is a passion much deeper than that. Jordan’s Way is more than a mission, it’s a movement. To raise funding for shelters in need, to raise awareness for the overpopulation crisis we’re facing in the U.S. and to hopefully create more opportunities for shelter animals to find homes.

The bailout wars is a fun challenge where shelter staff is kenneled with one of the shelter dogs until they raise enough in donations to be released. While "locked up", they may participate in the puppy love challenge where one lucky staff member will lie down with a whipped cream covered face and let the dog lick it clean. They may also play make out mania where their lips are slathered with peanut butter and the dog will smooch them clean. 

Sounds sweet and funny to watch, but did you know there’s a very specific dog chosen to be placed in the kennel with staff? This is likely a dog that has been a long time resident and needs to be highlighted in hopes of increasing their odds of finding their forever family. When you walk through a shelter, dogs are barking and jumping at the kennel gates out of excitement, possible overstimulation, and maybe even a little bit of fear. But when they’re in their own space, with a shelter human they are used to, it’s easier to see the genuine reaction the dog will have in a familiar, home-like setting. You won’t get that vibe from simply walking through the shelter to find your new companion. 

Another great game that we play during our live events is called Camera Time. This is where Kris with Jordan’s Way will sit with one of the dogs in an effort to raise donations. But during camera time, viewers get to see how the available dog reacts to Kris in their space. Sometimes you’ll see Kris get a face full of sloppy kisses, other times you’ll see a dog who is shy and in need of a softer presence. This game is another great way to showcase the sides of the adoptable dogs that a quick walk through the shelter will not provide. 

The mission that drives the Jordan’s Way team all across the country to raise funds for shelters, isn’t just to throw pies in faces or watch people slap each other with tortillas (although these challenges do thoroughly entertain us), our focus is on the animals and the shelter volunteers and staff who take care of them every day. Our goal is to help these animals move on to the next chapter of their lives, in the loving homes they all deserve. So the next time you’re watching one of our live feeds and see one these beautiful dogs highlighted, make sure to share them far and wide. If we all work together, we can not only help support American shelters, but we can help get homeless animals into the loving arms of their future families.