The world is still mourning the loss of Betty White, a skilled actress and comedian who spend eight decades in the public eye.
White’s legacy lives on, though, through the viral success of the Betty White Challenge . To date it’s raised millions for animal shelters.
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White passed away on December 31st, 2021.
She was 99 years old, nearly 100, and had lived an incredibly full life. But there was something about her positive spirit and good humor that made her death hard to handle.
She was well known for her love of animals.
Dating back to 1971, when she hosted a series about animals called The Pet Set , White was a tireless advocate for animal welfare. For decades, she worked with a nonprofit charity affiliated with the Los Angeles Zoo.
A viral challenge was introduced on her birthday.
January 17th would have been White’s 100th birthday, and to mark the occasion, social media platforms unveiled the #BettyWhiteChallenge. These fundraisers were aimed at raising money for local animal shelter and rescue organizations.
It’s raised an impressive amount of money.
As Variety reported, in just one day, the fundraisers on Facebook and Instagram received $12.7 million. More than 390,000 people in all have donated to the cause, which will be a big boost for animal advocacy groups.
Betty White herself thanked everyone for their generosity.
It’s a bit strange, but White’s social media team had her pre-record a thank-you message before she died. In it, she thanked her fans for their donations. Her social media team also added a message of thanks to accompany the video.
It’s a fitting tribute to a screen legend.
She’s been called “America’s grandma,” and for many of us, that was the role she filled: the kind, quick-witted elder who’s always there when you’re feeling down. But animal advocacy was her true calling in life.
The challenge has been a big shot in the arm for animal organizations.
While the one-day #BettyWhiteChallenge capped out at $12.7 million in donations, those were just the funds reported by Facebook and Instagram. The publicity generated by the fundraiser also had the knock-on effect of other animal organizations receiving big donations that didn’t necessarily come in through social media.
We’ll miss you, Betty.
Betty White lived her life fully, and even in death, she’s still helping to do good things.
If you feel inspired by this story, be sure to check out animal rescue organizations in your area to see if they could use some help.
