Eighteen years ago, Eileen Smulson visited a local animal shelter on a cold, rainy day and witnessed something that would change her life: puppies shivering on hard cement floors with no blankets to comfort them.
“In about one month, I collected a few hundred items. And I thought, ‘wow this is my calling,’ and I made it into a nonprofit,” says Eileen, founder and CEO of Operation Blankets of Love (OBOL).
What began with collecting 800 blankets has grown into a nationally recognized nonprofit, earning 51 awards for its life-saving work in animal welfare and emergency relief. Each month, OBOL supports over 50 animal rescue organizations, helping around 4,000 homeless dogs and cats receive food and essential supplies so they can become healthier and more adoptable.
“We want to keep people and their pets together,” says Eileen. “No one should have to give up their beloved companion because they can’t afford food or supplies.”
To support this mission, OBOL also assists homeless individuals, veterans, seniors and struggling families with pets—groups that often lack funding for animal care. Donations include pet food, blankets, toys, leashes, collars, crates, grooming and medical supplies. These are distributed across California, Baja Mexico, Southeast Asia, China and the Caribbean.
But OBOL’s mission goes beyond donations. A key focus is preventing animal abuse through education, particularly through its Humane Education Learning Program (HELP).
Empowering Future Animal Advocates
Eileen recognized a gap in humane education programs in Southern California, despite California’s requirement to teach kindness toward animals and humane treatment of living creatures.
Since 2008, HELP has educated over 14,000 children with the help of animal ambassadors, her adopted dogs who bring lessons to life. The first was Ginger, a terrier-poodle mix who helped teach 10,000 children. Today, Molly Joon, a 6-year-old spaniel mix, continues that work. Rescued from Tijuana after being found, flea-infested and starving, Molly now plays a central role in the program.
Molly’s impact has been recognized by the Association of Professional Humane Educators. Alongside Eileen, she visits classrooms and youth groups, helping students understand empathy, kindness and responsible pet care. Through storytelling and demonstrations, students learn how to care for animals and why compassion matters.
The program offers fun and educational interactive lessons for children from preschool through 12th grade, serving schools and youth organizations such as Girl Scouts and Boys and Girls Clubs across Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties.
“Our mission is to help children develop a deep connection to animals,” says Eileen. “By teaching empathy, compassion and responsible pet ownership, we aim to prevent animal abuse and neglect while promoting respect for all living beings.”
Breaking the Cycle of Violence
HELP’s curriculum covers topics including respect for animals, responsible pet care, dog safety, why animals end up in shelters, spaying and neutering and the human-animal bond. It also addresses what constitutes animal cruelty and connects these lessons to broader issues like bullying.
The importance of this education is significant.
“Animal abuse has been shown to be directly linked to bullying and domestic violence,” Eileen explains. “Childhood cruelty toward animals can lead to violence against humans. Educating children early can help break this cycle.”
Kids In Action
The program encourages students to turn compassion into action. Participants organize drives to collect blankets and comfort items for shelter animals, directly contributing to their well-being and increasing their chances of adoption.
“Children see the impact of their contributions and how they can help homeless animals,” says Eileen.
Each child also receives a free copy of Eileen’s 60-page bilingual (English/Spanish) coloring and activity booklet, “How to Care for Our Pet Pals,” reinforcing lessons learned in the classroom.
The Need Never Stops
“Shelters don’t have a budget for basic comfort items like blankets or towels,” Eileen says. “Many rescue groups depend on us for food and critical supplies. That’s where we come in.”
“The need never stops—and neither do we.”
To date, OBOL has donated to 124 shelters, more than 1,160 rescues, 158 homeless organizations and 20 pet pantries.
For Conejo Valley families looking to help, donations can be dropped off in Ventura County at R & R Pet Lifestyle and Supply, located at 2780 Tapo Canyon Road in Simi Valley. To schedule a free HELP presentation for a classroom or youth group, call 818.402.6586.
Through both hands-on support and transformative education, OBOL demonstrates that teaching kindness early creates lasting change for animals and people alike.
For more information, visit OBOL.info, Instagram @obolpaws or call 818.402.6586.
“No one should have to give up their beloved companion because they can’t afford food or supplies.”
“Our mission is to help children develop a deep connection to animals. By teaching empathy, compassion and responsible pet ownership, we aim to prevent animal abuse and neglect while promoting respect for all living beings.”