As part of the company’s first annual Open Hearts Campaign that gives back to non-profits making a difference in the community, Maid Brigade – the Atlanta-based house cleaning franchise – has awarded $5,000 to Furkids.

Furkids is Georgia’s largest no-kill animal shelter, which provides a cage-free and loving environment for its rescued animals until finding them permanent homes.

“More than 10 years ago I found a stray mother cat with kittens and was unable to find a shelter to take them in – so I started Furkids,” says Samantha Shelton, founder and executive director of Furkids. “Since 2002, we have facilitated close to 9,000 adoptions and today we operate 13 full-time adoption centers throughout metro Atlanta."

With more than 26 non-profits in the running, the Open Hearts Campaign asked Maid Brigade Facebook fans to vote for their favorite charities. A total of nearly 6,800 votes were cast throughout the month of December. Furkids received more than 2,000 votes and was announced the winning organization last week via the Maid Brigade Facebook page.

In close second was Equest, which provides therapeutic sports riding classes and Hippotherapy to children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. The Texas-based organization was awarded $500 from Maid Brigade.

“We wanted to give back in a big way to the local non-profits making a lasting impact in the communities in which Maid Brigade serves,” says Bart Puett, president of Maid Brigade. “The Open Hearts Campaign gave our customers a voice in which charity was chosen. It’s inspirational to see how these organizations have touched the lives of so many people.”

Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is the only house cleaning service that is Green Clean Certified® with more than 400 franchise service areas in the United States and Canada. Established in 1979, Maid Brigade is the green cleaning industry leader and has a longstanding legacy of providing quality customer service and consistent and thorough cleaning using the most advanced techniques and equipment. The company has also implemented a consumer advocacy program in response to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency linking chemicals in traditional cleaning products to a wide range of health risks. For more information visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 866-800-7434.