The Liberty Center Groundbreaking Ceremony – October 21

A Milestone for Joybound and the Community

On Wednesday, October 21, the groundbreaking ceremony for The Liberty Center celebrated more than the start of a construction project. It marked a new chapter in Joybound People & Pets’ history — a community commitment to keeping people and pets together and supporting pet families throughout life’s challenges. 

Joybound board members, donors, community partners, staff, volunteers, and public officials gathered to celebrate a vision years in the making, including Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, State Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, and Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk. Mayor Wilk highlighted his lifelong connection to Joybound and the future The Liberty Center brings to the organization, saying “Today’s groundbreaking represents an exciting new chapter in Joybound’s commitment to serving pets and families throughout Walnut Creek and the Greater Bay Area. It’s an investment in the wellbeing of our community and the relationships between people and the animals they love.”  

The new facility will bring together pet boarding and daycare, specialized veterinary behavioral services, and crisis and disaster boarding — all designed to support pets and the people who love them. “The Liberty Center takes a village and a lot of dreams and a lot of committed individuals to make happen,” said Lisa Moore, Joybound’s Chief Advancement Officer, as she welcomed the crowd. 

Helping Families Through Difficult Moments 

The center will provide a safe place for pets when their guardians are navigating emergencies, including domestic violence, housing challenges, or family health crises. It will also offer specialized behavioral care for pets who may not be accepted by conventional boarding facilities.

California 16^th District State Assemblymember, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, described the dilemma people can face when seeking help, highlighting why building The Liberty Center is so important right now. She praised Joybound for providing loving care for animals while their people work to get back on their feet.   “The idea that Joybound is stepping up and saying ‘We are going to be the ones who will provide that loving care for your animal while you get back on your feet,’ is just a gift that I know will change so many lives in our community.”

Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk captured the importance of helping families stay together: “Finding a loving home for an animal is only the beginning. Helping that animal remain with its family is just as important.”  

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, representing California’s 10^th District, also emphasized the value of partnerships that support people and animals together, recalling a program that incorporated animals into therapeutic work with at-risk young people. He described the collaboration with Joybound and other local organizations throughout Contra Costa County as “quite remarkable.”  

A Shared Achievement — and a Promising Future 

The Liberty Center is named for Liberty, the beloved dog of Maud and Burton Goldfield. Maud Goldfield shared that Liberty spent more than a decade as a therapy animal, visiting sick children and their families, and that the center will honor her loving spirit by supporting dogs who need extra care — and the people who love them. And her husband Burton celebrated the people whose vision and commitment brought the project to life: “There’s so much need in the world today, but without leadership, vision, and execution, absolutely nothing happens.” He thanked Joybound’s leadership, staff, and board, praised Dr. Wailani Sung’s vision for the center, and encouraged all in attendance to “think big and do good.” 

That vision is rooted in Joybound’s longstanding work to strengthen the bond between people and pets, while responding to needs that traditional services may not be equipped to meet. Susan Lee Vick, Joybound’s President & CEO, announced that The Liberty Center is expected to add another 68,000 beneficial impacts every year. “Joybound was formed to help animals, and we found quickly that helping animals meant helping people,” explained Susan Lee Vick. “When each of us are healthier and happier, our whole community works better.” 

For Joybound, The Liberty Center is both an investment in future services and a testament to what a community can accomplish together. 

During the celebration, Joybound shared exciting progress on The Liberty Center campaign, announcing that generous donors have already helped secure more than $2.4 million toward the project’s $5 million philanthropic fundraising goal. With an estimated construction cost of $15.6 million, work on the facility is expected to begin in early December 2026, with The Liberty Center projected to open its doors in early 2028.

As the ceremonial shovels turned the soil, the community marked the beginning of construction and, equally important, the next chapter of Joybound’s work to help more people and pets thrive.