SANFORD, Fla. – A small Sanford business that once had big plans with Sloth World is now helping raise money for the sloths that survived.
When Sloth World collapsed before it ever opened in Orlando, Amber Babcock and her business, Whisker Works, were left with stockpiled materials and broken promises. Now, they are part of a community-wide fundraising effort to support the sloths now living at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens — just 10 minutes away from where Babcock operates her business in Sanford.
Babcock launched Whisker Works 16 years ago, starting with mustache-themed products — hence the name. About six or seven years ago, she shifted focus to animal-themed craft kits for children, selling to summer camps, aquariums, libraries and vacation Bible school programs across the country.
One of those kits featured a sloth.
“Last year I learned about Sloth World coming to Orlando. So I reached out to them, and they loved the kit,” Babcock said.
The partnership grew quickly. Sloth World asked for exclusive custom designs — a two-toed sloth and a three-toed sloth — and planned to sell the kits in-person daily, according to Babcock.
“He was going to order 50 - 75 a day for their sales in person at Sloth World,” she said.
For a shop used to handling 30 - 40 orders a day, the deal was transformative.
“That’s tremendous for our small business,” Babcock said.
Whisker Works stocked up on materials and prepared to meet the demand. Then Babcock said communication stopped entirely.
“We got ghosted by them,” Babcock said. “And we learned a few months later when the story started coming out — like, ‘Oh, that’s why.’”
By then, the custom designs were finished and the materials were ready. The kits — each containing supplies to make a miniature sloth, complete with paint and yarn — simply had nowhere to go.
“Heartbreaking for us, but it’s obviously worse for the sloths,” Babcock said.
Records obtained by News 6 from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services show more than 50 sloths died in connection with the Orlando facility, which authorities linked to severe neglect and malnutrition. The Central Florida Zoo rescued 13 of the surviving animals, 4 of which have since passed away.
The financial toll on the zoo has been significant. In addition to existing staff working extended hours, the zoo has brought in outside veterinarians and sloth experts to help care for the animals.
To help support the sloths’ ongoing medical care and rehabilitation, Babcock donated 50 sloth craft kits to be sold by Sanford Main Street as a 100% fundraiser benefiting the zoo and the rescued animals. And, when she found out Sanford Main Street needed help fulfilling online orders for the t-shirts they designed as a fundraiser, it was a perfect match.
“I was like, well, that’s where we can come in. Sixteen years, we’ve been shipping online,” Babcock said.
Paul Williams, the president of Sanford Main Street, said the timing — and the connection — couldn’t have been more fitting.
“It was kind of like a godsend because we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” he said. “I’ve worked with Amber on a bunch of projects before, and I know she’s dependable.”
The fundraiser has since exploded. More than 2,500 shirts have been sold and shipped to customers in more than 40 states and Puerto Rico. The campaign has raised somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000 — far exceeding Williams’ original goal.
“I was hoping that we could raise $10,000. That was when I said that out loud, I was like, if we can raise $10,000, I’ll be happy,” Williams said. “And here we are at 50-something thousand dollars and counting.”
Williams said he is still stunned by the response.
“I never knew it was going to turn into this,” he said.
Shirts are available at sanfordmainstreet.com. Every shirt purchased directly benefits the sloths at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens have also shared a way to help the sloths and other animals. This week, they posted a link to the Zoo’s Amazon Wishlist on social media, which now includes a “Sloth Support” section with items picked by zoo staff for their care.