The Humane Society of Ventura County would like to extend a big thank you to Jackson Williams for his fantastic contribution to our GivingTuesday campaign! Jackson, an Eagle Scout with Troop 504, chose to create a public service announcement video benefitting the HSVC for his Eagle Scout project this year. We appreciate your hard work and dedication to helping animals in need, Jackson!

Jackson, a sophomore at Nordhoff High School in Ojai, has always had a passion for filmmaking. As the winner of the Ojai Film Society’s Young Filmmakers Competition in 2019, Jackson decided to use his talents in a way that would make a difference in his community.

“Most of the projects we do in Boy Scouts are some sort of construction project—building a path, painting a wall, something of that nature—and I wanted to do something a little bit different; something that was not only beneficial to the community but related to something I was interested in,” said Jackson.

Jackson assembled a small film crew to assist him on the day of filming. The crew, adorned in face masks and film gear, spent approximately eight hours at the shelter over the course of two days filming and interviewing staff members. “The narrative is about the Coronavirus and how that affected the HSVC, the fact that donations have been down, and how the organization has been dealing with the pandemic,” Jackson explained.

With the help of his crew and our staff, Jackson was able to bring his vision to life. The final 3-minute film captured a busy day at our shelter, despite being closed to the public. Staff interviews helped tell the tale of how the HSVC has had to overcome many obstacles to continue to provide services to those in need. It also sheds light on how the pandemic has affected our shelter financially, with donations and other financial support at an all-time low.

Thank you, Jackson, for helping us tell our story and for encouraging supporters to donate to our shelter this GivingTuesday and every day! If you would like to make a donation to help animals in need, please visit our website or via our Amazon Wishlist. From all of us at the HSVC, we thank you for your support!