IDEXX Laboratories Inc.

09/28/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/28/2021 07:08

IDEXX Laboratories Deepens Connections to Maine-Based Community Partners to Drive Greater Home-State Impact

WESTBROOK, Maine, September 28, 2021-Today IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), a global leader in pet healthcare innovation, announced new IDEXX Foundation initiatives with registered charitable organizations located in Maine, home to IDEXX's World Campus. These local organizations align with the IDEXX Foundation's mission to help create positive, lasting impacts for animals, people, and the environment through inclusive, outcomes-focused initiatives in communities around the world.
"An essential part of being a purpose-driven company is contributing to the communities where our employees work and live," says Gio Twigge, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. "These organizations' dedicated, hard-working staff and volunteers make Maine a better place for animals, people, and the environment, and we're delighted to support their efforts through the IDEXX Foundation."

The IDEXX Foundation supports worldwide organizations aligned with its focus areas. This year's Maine-based community partners include:

Center for Grieving Children
The Center for Grieving Children provides a safe space, loving peer support, outreach, and education to grieving children, teens, families, and the community. The IDEXX Foundation's multi-year support will help fund the Center's new pet-assisted activities, designed to connect people with animals that provide comfort.

Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center
Operating year-round at a 50-acre farm in Windham, Maine, Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center (RTT) is dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted services. Funding from the IDEXX Foundation will help support RTT's role in the largest research study of its kind, examining the physiological changes that occur in children with autism participating in therapeutic riding.

Furry Friends Food Bank
Through the Furry Friends Food Bank, the Eastern Area Agency on Aging (EAAA) helps to distribute pet food and basic pet care supplies to low-income, underserved communities, who otherwise may prioritize their pets over their own well-being. The IDEXX Foundation proudly supports efforts to prevent this through funding to bolster the volunteer program and pet food donations.
Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance
The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA) empowers educators to teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in more meaningful ways. Funding from the IDEXX Foundation supports MMSA's efforts to help build professional learning experiences for K-12 educators and conduct research and evaluation of STEM learning experiences.

Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals
The mission of the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) is to provide refuge, rehabilitation, and placement of seized equines, support the placement of surrenders, and educate the public. Support from the IDEXX Foundation will help provide veterinary care for the significant health needs of 20 neglected horses recently brought to the MSSPA by Maine law enforcement.

Portland Trails
Portland Trails is transforming Greater Portland into a healthier community by creating a network of trails and green spaces that connects people with places. To improve the stewardship of land and water resources and the quality of life in communities surrounding greater Portland, the IDEXX Foundation is funding trail development that will expand the existing 70+ miles of trails, connecting Westbrook communities to the trail network.

ProsperityME
ProsperityME is dedicated to helping Maine's immigrants and refugees build successful, rewarding lives in their new homeland. The IDEXX Foundation will fund programming focused on financial literacy coursework and providing small business support for the immigrant community.

Sebago Clean Waters
Sebago Clean Waters is a coalition group of nine conservation organizations and a regional water utility (the Portland Water District) that works to increase the pace of forest conservation in the Sebago Lake watershed. Support from the IDEXX Foundation will help catalyze and advance additional forest conservation and watershed protection projects that aim to protect the drinking water supply for over 200,000 Mainers. Among these projects is conserving 7,500 acres of high-priority forestland that will protect water quality and provide a host of other benefits, including enhancement of climate-resilient landscapes, wildlife habitat, recreational access, and the local economy.