What happens when a financial professional is entrusted with a transformative philanthropic gift for cats? In this episode of United We Spay, Stacy LeBaron sits down with Deborah Cribbs, founder of the Give Them Ten Movement, to explore how a banker’s mindset reshaped feline welfare in Cincinnati and beyond.
Deborah shares how disciplined stewardship, business strategy, and unapologetically bold messaging turned a local foundation into a national force for cats. From launching community cat programs to leveraging data and market research, she explains why spay/neuter is not just compassionate. It is the most practical, scalable solution to feline overpopulation.
In this episode you will hear:
- How a fiduciary approach transformed charitable giving into measurable impact
- Why collaboration, not competition, is essential for sustainable shelter systems
- What functional community cat programs actually require to succeed
- The power of branding, humor, and visual storytelling in shifting public behavior
- Why “Fix by Five” is a critical messaging tool for modern feline welfare
- How donor-advised funds and community foundations can unlock local funding
- Why specialization may be the smartest move for smaller organizations
- Early insights into Give Them Ten’s new research on the emotional drivers behind spay neuter decisions
Deborah makes a compelling case that data and compassion are not opposites. They are partners.
Her bottom line is simple. If every person who sees a cat takes responsibility to ensure that cat is fixed, the entire landscape changes.
Resources from this episode:
- Website: www.GiveThemTen.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuteredscooter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/givethemten/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/give-them-ten
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@neuteredscooter
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/neuteredscooter/
- Threads: https://www.threads.com/@neuteredscooter
- BlueSky: @neuteredscooter.bsky.social