FOACAS is a non-profit animal rights advocate

How it began

FOACAS was conceived by Mindy Farber, a well-known animal advocate and activist in Montgomery County, Maryland.

In August 2020, a friend asked Mindy where she might find a poodle mix for adoption. Mindy told her it would be virtually impossible locally, but that she might look at a shelter further away. Mindy's husband, John Camp, a commercial real estate developer who knows all of Maryland, suggested Cumberland.

Located in Northwest Maryland, Cumberland is the most disadvantaged city in the state - financially depressed and where the local communities struggle with food deficiencies. Cumberland does, however, have the first no-kill municipal animal shelter in Maryland.

With Cumberland only two hours away from Montgomery County, reaching out to that shelter would bring much needed help to the area. By sheer serendipity, Mindy's neighbor found her poodle mix in Cumberland and suggested that Mindy consider reaching out to the shelter to offer help from the Potomac area.

Mindy called the Shelter and spoke with the indefatigable shelter manager. They discussed what Mindy's part of Maryland could do to help. Mindy's mission to help the shelter in Cumberland grew into a group of over 30 Charter Members in the DC Metro neighborhoods of Potomac, Rockville, Bethesda/Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Great Falls, and Vienna, who pooled their talents, strengths, and financial donations to bring about FOACAS.