Latest / Back In The Closet - Two Crazy Cat Ladies / Small Acts, Big Impacts: Helping Cats In Need with Mission Meow

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Small Acts, Big Impacts: Helping Cats In Need with Mission Meow · Back In The Closet - Two Crazy Cat Ladies

0:00
I'm Jay, I'm Adrian, and together we are crazy.
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Ladies, I'm. Going to cut you.
0:08
I think I just peed. Buckle up.
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We're back in the closet. Welcome to another episode.
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Look back in the closet with the 2 crazy cat ladies.
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Guys, this is a very important episode.
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It's a very special episode. We are joined by one of our
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favorite people on the planet, Sally Williams, the the owner
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and founder of Mission Meow making a huge difference in this
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in this beautiful cat community that we live in.
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And we want to talk about the, the importance of the importance
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of making that small, that small impact, right?
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Like or not, no, it's making a big impact, but making that
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small. It's just a little bit goes a
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long way, right? Small axe, that small little
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thing that you. Yeah, that small thing that
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creates a ripple effect in the bigger perspective.
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And we know it, you know it. That's why you started this
1:08
beautiful organization. And so we just want to share it
1:11
with all of you guys, especially for those of you guys that are,
1:14
you know, feeling like you're just, you know, unsure about,
1:18
you know, financials right now, you're unsure about where the
1:21
world's going. And you know, if you're watching
1:23
the media, I'm sure you're scared about of.
1:26
Your prices for every off, yeah, I mean.
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I mean, but what's like been on our hearts is that it is kitten
1:34
season. You know, this morning even our
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own, our own shelter here at the Animal Foundation was saying how
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they're going to start euthanizing healthy animals
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because they are overcrowded. And it's heartbreaking.
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Like it's like, why can't we just have that 80 acres cat
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sanctuary? We can just go, right?
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Like we So what can we do? You know the the problem seems
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so weird. Yes, well, let's start by
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talking about you and Mission Meow and and what you started
2:05
here. And so anybody that doesn't know
2:07
you and Mission Meow, please give us a a little yeah
2:10
introduction and let us. Know why you?
2:12
Started this and and and what it's amazing effective to
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unpack. Right, so much to unpack.
2:20
So mission meow, basically get our, our goal is to give as many
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large grants to small feline centric nonprofits all across
2:31
the US to make impactful and lasting change.
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That's the goal. We focus on the small
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organizations that are largely volunteer run grass roots doing
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the work, you know, and so it came about post COVID when an
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organization I was volunteering for had to give up their Cafe
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space and downsize. And they started doing more TNR
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and they, they just like completely pivoted and they were
3:01
our first grant recipient actually.
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And what we did was we raised and gave them $10,000 to help
3:08
create a better space into where they had moved.
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It wasn't quite working for them.
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So the money that we gave to them allowed that happen.
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It improved their adoption room. It gave them a whole kitten
3:20
room, an area for proper washer dryer, like all the things that
3:25
they really needed. And when I was researching and
3:29
I'm like, Oh my gosh, like if it's happening to them and I
3:31
think of them as being they're small but mighty, right?
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They have a really loyal following which not all not
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everybody has time for social media has the best website
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because our budget doesn't afford it.
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And I thought if these guys are having to make these decisions,
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what's happening? So I became a keyboard warrior
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warrior and literally just started going state by state and
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Googling, you know, cat rescue fundraiser, cat rescue closing
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cat rescue struggle. It like any different type of
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words and it became very clear that this was an epidemic that
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small feeling centric nonprofits, rescues, foster
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based programs, TNR organizations were really
4:12
struggling and they just need our help because honestly,
4:17
without them, what's our what's the biggest problem we have cat
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overpopulation, right? That's why everybody struggles.
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Kitten season comes, it gets amplified.
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But the struggle for even the larger shelters who even the big
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ones sometimes pause, right intake is closed.
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You hear that even at the big ones, but these little guys, I
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mean, they do the work. They're doing the TNR, they're
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taking the contracts with the townships, they're taking on the
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special needs cats, they're taking on the senior cats.
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Like they're really doing the work.
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Because no disrespect, everybody's finds their lane.
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Everybody's doing what they're can, but not everybody takes the
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town contracts. Some organizations run a little
5:01
bit more like a business than I wish and they would be more
5:03
about the lives. So I just have to say that
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because these guys, the ones we work with, that's it for them,
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that is it for them. They are just boots on the
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ground doing the hard work. We just went to Long Island City
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this past weekend and gave a grant to a woman run
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organization and they are urban and they are in the alleys and,
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you know, in precarious situations doing TNR, doing
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rescue. This is what's happening all
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across our country, and they need our support right now.
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Since we started the mission meow, I would say this has been
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a time where I'm seeing the most stress on the organization.
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So they need us now more than ever.
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Yeah. Actually, I just like to stop,
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pause and reflect for like 1 minute about how beautiful the
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cat community is, right? Like, I mean, we, you know,
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we've been in the pet health community for 20 years now.
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The first ten was, was very dog centric and it was more about,
6:11
you know, breeders and, and, and, and people who just love
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their dogs. And that's all very beautiful,
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very beautiful things. But when we, when we shifted
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over and decided to become the 2 crazy cat ladies and we got
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involved in the cat community, like a overwhelming majority of
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people in the cat community are rescuers.
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Even if they're just people and they don't have a 5O1C3,
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they're, they're not, you know, they're not working with other
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people. They're just on their own every
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single day. Sally, we have people that are
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like, hey, I take care of a colony me outside, you know, in
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my backyard. I have, you know, the cat people
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are like the most beautiful people in the world, like the
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most loving people in the world. So yeah, hands down.
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So I'm like, I'm just so grateful that you we're both
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like when you first told us about this idea that you had of
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mission meow, it was like, this is beautiful.
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This is amazing because it's going to help all of those
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small, you know, those the people that we talked to on a
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regular basis, right? Like the people that that really
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need support and need help. And it is, you know, a, a small
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act with huge impact. And I know you're celebrating.
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These girl, the allergy is here. Oh yeah.
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Oh yeah, everywhere. I wonder why in just a second
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though, because you spoke about the very first.
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You know, when you realize this need was there and you were able
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to go out and do this beautiful thing, we'll get more into the
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logistics of that, but you were able to give them $10,000.
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I feel so strongly, we know so many people in our community
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that they don't have an extra X amount of money, disposable
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income, but they go and they volunteer and we hear so much
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about it's not just the emotional fatigue, it's the,
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it's, it's the going into these situations of so much need and
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not having even the basic things that are needed.
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The, the newspapers for the TNR cages, a washer and dryer.
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Like is anyone going to volunteer to do all the towels?
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You know, like. So important.
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Yes. So like when you talk about a
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$10,000 gift, it's like, Oh my God, like.
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Some of them have been 3000, some of them have been, you
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know, over 16,000 and they all have made a huge difference.
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And you said washer dryer like people to me it was like, Oh my
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gosh, how we fundraise for a washer dryer.
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Like it's not very sexy, but guess what?
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That washer dryer saves lives that that organization takes in
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ringworm kittens and nobody else does where they are.
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So that, that gift of that saved lives.
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And she was such a smart shopper.
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She was able to get 2 sets. So one in the main foster area
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and one in the rescue space. So it, I mean, she really
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maximized that grant when she was like, if I can get a deal,
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can I get more than one? Really.
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Like, of course, yes. Yeah.
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More lives, yes, but at that point when I think she had, I
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don't like close to maybe 1520 ringworm kittens at one point,
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like just you know, and those kittens would have been
9:21
euthanized. That brand that specifically,
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you know, I know, saved those lives.
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Oh wow, I love. I love that you're like washer
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and dryer. It's not sexy, but it saves
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lives, right? And I think that's the beauty of
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what of what you're doing. And I, and I really want this to
9:38
be about sorry when Annie comes on my lap.
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For those of you listening, I can't think straight.
9:43
I, I can't. It's just.
9:47
So this is all ability to speak or think.
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And she's a great example. Every meeting we ever have.
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And I'm like, thanks for being so helpful in that meeting.
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I can't Annie is a great example of a cat that was dumped and
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she's just so special. Like I love that these these
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organizations, these volunteers, these people that do this, they
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recognize the significance of each little life.
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And I feel like what you're doing for for people that don't
10:13
really understand or that are looking.
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And I know that there's so much need and you already have
10:16
applications in. But you know, for Jay and I,
10:19
it's like if we did have a little something leftover, we
10:22
want. Who is that?
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Desmond. As Desmond, this.
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Gotcha. Anniversary a week ago and he
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came from one of the organizations that we gave a
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grant to. So they gave them a check and
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they literally that day I handed them the check and they handed
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me Desmond and I got the better deal.
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Oh. Yes.
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All right, so we need to back up and what were we see a cat
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jumped in my lap, but OK, both. Of you Come on, calm down.
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I want to. Focus on this a little bit
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because I know that there's so much need, but I think that you
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know your idea for doing this. If people are wondering like
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what do you mean you fundraise and got $10,000 or $16,000 to
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give it's. Not I don't want to make it
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sound like, oh, like the fairy godmother came down and was
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like, like, that's not it. So Mission Yell has business
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partners. You guys are business partners
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who generously support us. So we can give quarterly grants.
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So every quarter they are giving us what they can.
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And I don't want to scare anybody away because small
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businesses, we don't tell you, it's not like a set amount.
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How much can you give? That's what we want from you,
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you know. So even big companies, they get
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asked all the time, right? And they get asked for a huge
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amount. We don't need a huge amount.
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It's the whole point of coming together.
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We make this happen. So we have over 80 business
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partners who we rely on as the foundation.
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And then we, you know, once we choose the organizations that
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we're going to give. So January, April, July and
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October are our giving quarters. And we, it's a, it's a, it's a
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difficult process. I don't want to make you know
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it. It's a lot of applications.
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We have a very serious committee.
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A deep dive happens and it's painful because you want to help
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more than two or three. So reapply.
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Reapply. If you didn't get chosen,
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definitely reapply because we can only do so much, right?
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And then when we pick them, we share their stories.
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That's how we get the individual donors really invested.
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So let's use an example of just this past so April.
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We picked 2 organizations, 1 was LIC Feral Theaters in Long
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Island City. As I mentioned before, they are
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a TNR focus group and they do amazing, amazing work.
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I just meeting these people so inspired me.
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Then the second organization is Tomato Foster Club, which how
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fun is that, right? Just saying Tomato Foster Club
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and saying it in New Orleans and their focus is saving special
13:08
needs kittens. Well, when you see the images of
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these kittens and understand that special needs kittens are
13:15
high risk, many, many times they are euthanized because it it
13:19
costs a lot of money. And for anybody out there,
13:22
because I know they've heard this before and we had a
13:25
conversation about some people say, well, you could take that
13:27
money and save X amount of cats. Guess what?
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Everybody has their own mission. This is their mission and they
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do it very well. There are other organizations
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around them that are doing TNR, that are doing, you know, just
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more traditional adoptions, those kind of things.
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I let they chose their lane and they are doing amazing, amazing
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work. Our grant is paying for them to
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get 8 incubators which will save lives as soon as they are there.
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They are foster homes waiting for these incubators and they
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will save lives. So they're doing beautiful work
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too. So it's all different kinds.
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So anybody who's like I really like TNRI know that's the root
14:11
of the problem. I want to support ATNR
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organization. If you want to donate in that
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month, know that part of your money is going to help TNR.
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You love kittens and you think special needs kit cats, you
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know, deserve a chance just like any other cat needs a home.
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Our special needs kitties, we love them so much.
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You're going to be helping that. So it's my job and Mission Meows
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job to tell that story. Why?
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Why would you? Why should you donate to Mission
14:36
Meow this month and help these two organizations?
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And that's what we do. We tell their story.
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So you get to know them and you and you can trust that we've,
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we've, you know, they've been vetted.
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We know where the money's going. And then you're going to see
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where the money went because they're going to take pictures
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and we're going to share them. We're going to share videos.
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So you're actually going to see where your money went
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specifically, specifically where it went.
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Which is wonderful, right? Like it's it's, you know, so
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many of us feel led to give at certain times, like right, like,
15:12
and we still do it to this day, but it is, it is helpful, you
15:16
know, as a, as a business partner, it is helpful.
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You know, there were, we were talking at that time, we were
15:21
like, oh, we tithe, but it's what we call it, right?
15:24
We tithe like it's an old school term, but we both grew up in the
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church. So so we're like, Oh no, like we
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find it very important that we tie.
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And so for the fact that you're able to do the work as far as
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like find the the and we, you know, we loved you and trusted
15:42
you for so long. We we know you're going to pick
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what I think. You have a vetting process that
15:48
you really do go. Through and this is a serious
15:50
committee of women that are they know their stuff.
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You know, we're talking about people that are immersed in the
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rescue you and in the cat world. And it's what we have an
16:03
algorithm like we've got this whole thing one created this
16:06
whole chart. And so it's very I lead my
16:09
heart. You know, there's the science
16:11
frame, there's the heart. Like we all have our different
16:14
roles because we're all so connected to it makes it easy to
16:19
vet them because we need to vet them from the inside.
16:21
We talk to people there, but it's also important that you
16:24
find out what the community thinks about them at large,
16:27
right. Yeah.
16:28
Or you know, because of course they think they're the best and
16:30
everybody, I think we're the best, right.
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We all think that. So we want to hear all the
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different sides and that really helps us make our decision.
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And then we try to every quarter have some variety.
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I mean the bulk of the applications are chap neuter
16:46
return because there are so many of those across the US and it's
16:48
what's really needed. But it's important for us to
16:52
also have variety because we that gets donors, you know,
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they, they hear different stories and that's how I feel.
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It's just so much heart. You know, we've launched foster
17:04
programs and, you know, we've helped special needs cats.
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Erin Lighty got a shed that when she's doing TNR, the cats go in
17:14
there pre surgery and then they recover post surgery.
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And it also gives her time to kind of assess maybe some of
17:19
them might be adoptable and then they go to the local shelter.
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I mean, it's a, you know, so there's so many different things
17:26
that we have done. We expanded an Infirmary and now
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more lives are saved at the Meow mission.
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How do you like that right Mission helps the Meow mission?
17:38
Oh, that's beautiful. He loves that.
17:42
So it's an something I want people to know.
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And this is, I say this not I don't even know.
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It's important to people that we are doing big work, but it's not
17:55
like we have this massive budget that oh, just the next time is
17:58
coming up. We literally fundraise every
18:03
quarter because we need to because Mission Meow does not
18:07
sit on money right. We give it.
18:10
If we if say there's a quarter like usually October is a really
18:14
good giving time for us. It's an anniversary.
18:16
That's the month we launched in. We tend to go big that month.
18:20
We always have a list. So say we we pick two
18:23
organizations, there's probably 5 or 6 that we all loved, but we
18:29
can't, we can't pick them all. But if we raise more than we'll
18:33
surprise people. So I don't want people to think,
18:36
oh, Mission Mia, they give so big, they must have a ton of
18:39
money. No, you don't have to loan to
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it. The point of this is to give it.
18:44
We need to have enough money so that we can pay the bills and so
18:48
that they can travel to conventions.
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And I personally love giving checks in person.
18:54
I would do it every single time if I could.
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But you know why we don't do it? Because it's expensive and
19:00
that's money that they could be going to a grant.
19:02
So I said it not long ago, we we shouted out like, if anybody
19:06
wants to donate miles, you will help us go and give the checks
19:11
in person because there's nothing like it.
19:16
Sometime we'll be out by you and you'll get to experience it.
19:19
Because we've taken, we've had business partners join us.
19:23
We've had board members join us, volunteers join us.
19:27
My husband joined me one time. He was able to come and see.
19:32
And you're changed forever once you see that and you see their
19:37
faces and you hug them and you cry with them because, OK, so
19:43
LIC Ferrell feeders, this was their first grant ever, not
19:48
because they haven't applied, but because they're a small
19:51
organization who should be getting more grants, Who's
19:54
getting overlooked? And this is the kind of thing
19:58
this is, this is what Mission Meow does.
20:01
And I, I won't say who shared this story with me because this
20:05
is a, you know, the organization's privacy.
20:07
However, I know of an organization that we gave a
20:10
grant to that got turned down. For a grant recently and one of
20:15
the reasons why was they, the, the, the group that they applied
20:19
for said the amount of money they were giving was too big for
20:24
their annual budget. Like it's just too much money
20:26
for the size of your organization.
20:29
That is why Mission Meow gives to these 'cause they don't get
20:32
that kind of money. And how do you expect them to
20:34
grow, expand, bring in more volunteers?
20:38
Wow, they're saying I have too much money.
20:42
You don't need as much money as I have to give, so you're
20:45
declined. Their their annual budget was
20:50
maybe say $85,000. So very small organization.
20:55
They're looking for a grant of $10,000.
20:58
Their concern is giving them $10,000 is not a good investment
21:02
because they won't know how to spend it wisely because they're
21:05
too small of an organization where I say.
21:08
You know. That's one of the reasons we
21:11
gave them the money. We've spoken to them.
21:13
We know their track rather we know how amazing they are.
21:16
We want to get them to that next level so they can keep getting
21:20
grants this size. I will, you know, and I know
21:23
this because that person sent me an e-mail and said this is what
21:27
makes Mission Meow so special. You saw through that.
21:30
You talked to us, you got to know us and you understood and
21:34
it's and it was amazing for them.
21:37
We are so close to that organization and I want people
21:41
to recognize that these groups do not get big grants.
21:46
When we're looking at applications, they're getting
21:47
grants for maybe $500, a $250 community grant and it all
21:51
matters. It is helping them immensely.
21:55
But when they get 8010 thousand $12,000, it's we.
22:02
We point it now. It's called it we.
22:04
It's the Mission Meow effect. So it's not just about the
22:08
money, it's after the money. This ripple, like here's your
22:13
check and then there's this ripple effect that happens
22:16
afterwards. So organizations grow.
22:20
It increases their fundraising ability because they are now
22:23
trusted. Somebody thinks that, oh you
22:26
know, Mission Meow was willing to give them $15,000.
22:30
Now we trust them more. So it helps them raise more
22:34
money. We know they've, we've
22:37
organizations have added board members who saw and were excited
22:43
by what was happening. It's also a huge impact on
22:47
volunteers. Yeah, them being seen, heard and
22:51
validated for the work they do. I, I was just thinking about
22:55
that, like, and, and we've thought about that several
22:57
times, but like the way that you, that you tell the
23:02
community, the cat community about these specific
23:05
organizations. And just like you said, like, I
23:08
mean, they're volunteers, they're boots on the ground,
23:10
right? Like these people aren't like,
23:13
oh, let's go to social media and we should do, you know, like
23:16
they're not able to do the amount, like the amount of
23:19
social media that needs to be done in order to, you know.
23:23
I try doing just that these days.
23:25
Anybody anyway, because who the algorithm?
23:28
What's getting seen? What's not getting?
23:30
It's difficult fundraisers out there and who knows?
23:33
And they have much smaller. It's not even like mission meow,
23:36
we have maybe close to 7000 followers on Instagram.
23:40
Facebook is smaller. TikTok.
23:44
TikTok is great for videos but it doesn't really raise US
23:47
money, right? It's fun, but it doesn't really
23:49
help. Engage, raise US.
23:50
Money awareness, right? So like when people see these
23:54
small organizations and they realize it's in their town or in
23:57
the town over and they're like, Oh my God, I was looking, you
24:01
know, like the universe is very smart and it works in mysterious
24:05
ways. And, and the volunteer part of
24:08
like thinking, like I can see this has probably happened a
24:11
million times over in 2 1/2 years where somebody is like,
24:15
God, I really want to volunteer, but I don't even know where to
24:17
start. Like I don't even know.
24:19
And then they see something and they're like, holy crap, thank
24:23
you universe for giving me. This is where I want to go.
24:26
Because you highlight them, right?
24:28
You you you give them the the media attention even right?
24:32
Like your social. Media will tend to grow after
24:35
this because now they are seen by our business partners and our
24:39
followers. Mission Meow also opens them up
24:43
to in kind donations because there's a lot of organizations
24:47
that know us that want to help our grant recipients through in
24:51
kind donations. We actually just helped an
24:55
organization who was going to have a litter athon and I said I
24:59
think I might be able to help You connected him with one of
25:02
our business partners. Guess what literally went their
25:05
way. So you know, there's there,
25:08
there are other things that happen.
25:10
And then something we really, really love is we have a
25:14
Facebook group for every single one of our grant recipients.
25:18
And they all have met each other through that group.
25:21
They share fundraising ideas. They, if they're having an issue
25:27
with whatever it is in their organization, they just put it
25:29
out there and now all of a sudden they have this community
25:32
that responds. One community was having a
25:36
really difficult time getting medication.
25:38
Guess what? Another organization had it.
25:40
So they were able to deliver it to them.
25:42
I mean, it's, it is, it's just been incredible to watch that.
25:49
And I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm organized, I organize a monthly
25:53
Zoom. It might be 3 people, four
25:55
people, it could be 15 people who because it's kitten season
25:59
now, we never know how many people are going to be on that
26:01
Zoom. But the amount that's on there,
26:03
I guarantee you is what's supposed to be for that night.
26:06
Because we had more recently where there were five of us on a
26:10
Zoom and amazing things came out of that.
26:13
I mean, just amazing things. So do you guys know my who is
26:19
the producer of the She did. She produced Cat Daddies and now
26:22
she just has a documentary called The 25 Cats of Guitar.
26:26
Yes. We don't.
26:27
We don't know her, but you. Oh my God, she's so amazing.
26:31
I just, she's so special. And this movie, this
26:34
documentary, 25 Cats Guitar, can I tell you, just so beautiful.
26:39
I cried. It's just, it is a magnificent,
26:42
magnificent film. I can't wait.
26:44
I didn't get to go to the premiere, but she's coming to
26:47
New York and New Jersey and I have the honor of introducing it
26:50
here in New Jersey. I am so, so excited to do that.
26:54
But so she takes this across the country to different theaters
26:58
and she partners with a rescue and then gives them a percentage
27:03
of that night of the ticket sales.
27:05
And I connected her to one of our organization.
27:09
So she's going to that city and that movie will be aired there.
27:12
So these are the things that people wouldn't know, right?
27:15
It's the money is first and foremost.
27:18
We always need that grant. But then from there and what I,
27:22
this is what I wrote after I wrote this whole thing about the
27:25
Mission Meow effect. Mission Meow is more than a
27:28
source of financial support. Mission Meow is changing the
27:32
culture of rescue. Yes.
27:35
Yes. And that's what I feel like
27:38
because it's, it's connecting people.
27:42
It's it's that ripple effect that I had no idea when I
27:46
started this organization that that was, well, going to be a
27:49
part of what happened. You must sit down every night
27:52
and count these blessings and be like.
27:57
Because I don't know if everyone knows the funny, you know when
28:00
you first had this idea and you are a brilliant, beautiful human
28:04
with an incredibly huge heart and we've known of you before
28:07
mission meow and but I I always get a giggle about that phone
28:11
call of like, I know I have this idea.
28:14
I. Know I like to talk and you let
28:16
me go and go and you go to like. Is there anything else you need
28:21
to know after you're 40? I'm using one below.
28:25
But the idea of this, let's focus on the idea of this
28:28
because like you said, it's something that just continues to
28:30
grow because of the energy behind it.
28:32
I always, whatever it is, I always want to know what's
28:36
motivating someone to do something.
28:38
And we've known you long enough to know what motivates you.
28:41
And it's a beautiful, beautiful thing.
28:44
And so now for you to even be experiencing surprises in the
28:48
ripple effect of it. I always get a giggle about that
28:51
first phone call because your idea, I remember looking at your
28:54
own speaker, your phone and me and Jay were like, Oh my God,
28:58
like what a brilliant idea to find a way.
29:01
Because we've been in that situation where we get, you
29:03
know, contact forms, all this stuff, heart wrenching stories
29:07
from people. And then you want to go look it
29:09
up and you can't find anything about them.
29:11
And it's like, is this a scam? Is this a, you know, you want to
29:14
do everything you can do to help.
29:17
And so for you to come up with this concept of bringing
29:19
business partners together, doing something where every
29:23
little bit, not just business partners, but individual donors
29:26
or people that want to donate food or litter or whatever it
29:29
is, you make this space that is unifying and powerful.
29:34
And helps us all be able to give back so that so that we get to
29:39
be a part of that ripple effect. So that because it is so.
29:42
We're all connected. It is so and all I, I know
29:45
everybody here, everybody listening now has, has been
29:49
through this or probably continuingly does because it's a
29:52
beautiful cat community. But when you know that even if
29:56
it's only $5 that you're able to give or you know it like a small
30:00
amount of time that you're able to donate to, you know,
30:03
volunteer at A, at a local shelter or whatever it is,
30:06
right? Like every little bit that you
30:10
do, you know? All will make a ripple effect it
30:13
all. Does, yes.
30:14
All of it does. Yes, all matters.
30:17
I want to answer so I do not every night.
30:20
Just I'm like my mind isn't like, Oh, I'm so I I am a ball
30:25
of stress all the time because I feel like I'm not growing fast
30:31
enough. I feel like I'm not helping
30:32
enough. I feel like it.
30:34
I have this. It's not imposter syndrome
30:37
because I know what we're doing is I can see that, but it's just
30:40
I always want to be. I remember my board saying, why
30:45
is it you always want to be 5 years from now?
30:47
Can't you just change the work you're doing right now?
30:50
I'm like, no, no, because I know we can be better and we can move
30:54
the needle more. It's just not happening fast
30:56
enough. And imagine now like it is not
31:00
easy. Right now we're having the lots
31:02
of brainstorming meetings to try to figure out how to ride this
31:06
out. Because when we talk about how
31:11
my biggest fear right now is how many rescues are struggling
31:14
right now. Like I, I lose sleep every night
31:16
thinking about how many of them are struggling right now.
31:20
Well, we're a nonprofit too. We are feeling the effects of,
31:25
of all of this. So I, it's like, all right, I'm
31:29
feeling it. Our business partners are
31:32
feeling it right. There is tariffs, so there's the
31:35
economy. There's all these things that we
31:38
have 0 control over. We have 0 control I I'm not
31:43
particularly religious. I have taken to the serenity
31:46
prayer every single day. Give me the strength to accept
31:51
what I cannot change, that is like and and change the things I
31:55
can and that. Is and the wisdom to know the
31:58
difference I. Mean it's every day it's part of
32:02
my in my mantra now I I have far too many mantras I just keep
32:06
adding. More because I would say, Sally,
32:09
an encouraging word for you, because you and I are very.
32:12
I was just about to say that. Very similar in the whole Jay.
32:15
Is always looking three years 5. Years I am, I am and and it's
32:19
and it's, it's a almost like an imposter syndrome, right?
32:23
But it is, it's it's more like a I'm never enough.
32:26
It's it's never enough. I I'm not doing enough.
32:29
Could be doing more. It could be more.
32:31
We got to do more or we should do more.
32:33
Like, like you know, and you sleep over it.
32:36
I I really I do, because I care so much.
32:41
Same, right? Like, but I will say some words
32:44
of wisdom. For me, what has really helped
32:47
is and I'm reading some books and doing some things, but but
32:51
what has really helped is stopping at the end of the day
32:55
and counting the blessings that I do have right, like seeing
32:59
where we try. No, but I mean honestly, like it
33:04
is, it makes a huge and when I don't do this, I still don't
33:07
sleep like it's but but like to to sit down and say, OK, but
33:12
where did I start and where am I now?
33:14
And I'm, I'm, you know, the, the, the universe is sending me
33:18
consistently right now is, is, I'm in the same mode as you,
33:22
right? Like right now, I am in this
33:24
mode and the universe just keeps sending me reminders of
33:28
patience, patience and, and that like, I'll get to where I like
33:33
where I want to be, which I don't even know exactly where I
33:36
want to be. I don't ever want to stop,
33:37
right? I just want to keep making a
33:38
difference. So I just want to keep doing
33:40
more. But but to count those blessings
33:43
to, to understand that those, those little steps that we have
33:47
made over the past 10 years now, like for you, 2 1/2 years, like
33:51
you've made leaps and bounds over the past 2 1/2 years.
33:55
And, and when you look back and you see what that idea was when
33:59
you were talking to us on the phone about Michigan and where
34:02
you're at now, right? And like what all you have done
34:05
just the stories that you've told us and there's tonight and
34:08
there's a million more right like of the difference that that
34:12
that your organization has made. Bless that, bless that, because
34:16
that is also an act of giving. And when we give and I want
34:20
everybody to understand that when we give and whatever giving
34:24
way we are able to give, we get right.
34:28
It's biblical, been written the greatest.
34:30
Gift I've ever been given because I get to give correct
34:36
there's you can't imagine what it's like if you haven't
34:40
volunteered or you haven't done it.
34:41
I highly just go do it because what you get back feels
34:45
infinitely more minus the stress and the lack of sleep and yadda
34:48
yadda. But I still it's the greatest
34:51
joy of my life to be just. Want to reiterate though, I
34:56
think, you know, I know it's kind of simplified giving and
35:00
getting and whatever, but I think the bigger picture is and
35:03
what sometimes I'll try to remind Jay is in this moment,
35:07
this moment is all we have, right?
35:09
So it isn't just, you know, stress, stress begets stress.
35:14
Stress also has a ripple effect. Love, you know, it is, it is we,
35:20
we always, we always get in whatever way what we give.
35:23
And that is just the way that it.
35:24
Is and. So sometimes, like, you know,
35:27
just last week we were talking about how our yearly planned,
35:30
our 10 year anniversary plan has been turned on its head.
35:35
There are things that have just been huge roadblocks, things
35:38
that we've been excited about for a year and a half.
35:40
They're just not going to happen.
35:42
They can't do it the right way. They were.
35:44
They're still on hold. In the meantime, though, the
35:47
universe has given us the opportunity to kind of realize
35:51
what's going on in our own home. In a way, it's giving us this
35:53
gift of we cannot give what we do not have.
35:59
And I think in those moments of overwhelm and stress of what's
36:03
not going right or what's not enough, if we stop, like Jay
36:07
said, and we really do think, what is this to me right now?
36:11
What is this beautiful moment that I'm in?
36:14
And it is far more valuable than whatever we think we are
36:18
stressing about. So I wish, I wish you were here.
36:21
I just want to give you a big hug because you.
36:23
Know this is this is the hard part about what we do and our
36:26
community, our community. This really, you know, the one
36:30
at the end of Kakon that all collapses on the couch because
36:33
we're exhausted and they take a photo of the giant pile of us
36:36
there because there is so much love.
36:38
But we're all over the country and we you know, this fuels
36:44
right when I ever anytime I have a zoom or a brainstorming
36:47
session or anything that's like me plugging in.
36:50
So hugging you guys when I see you guys that is plugging in and
36:53
recharging. This for me right now is
36:56
plugging in and recharging and it keeps me going.
37:01
Although I love what I do, I, you know, it doesn't just
37:04
happen. It is a lot of work.
37:07
My eyes at the end of the day from being on the phone and the
37:09
computer because I wear. All the hats.
37:12
All the hats, right? You should see.
37:17
But you're right. I mean, there are.
37:19
It was funny. So I was, you know, my other
37:21
thing is pickleball, and I was playing pickleball the other day
37:24
and on the court, there were four courts of pickleball going.
37:28
So there's, you know, math 816 people out there.
37:32
And also there's a dark cloud going over and we hear like, it
37:36
sounds like raindrops. Oh, no, birds.
37:42
I got shit on and on my shoulder and on my arm and oddly enough,
37:51
right on my fingertip. It was really weird and I saw.
37:56
Everybody. Tells you how lucky this is.
37:58
I am telling you for the next three days I had the best luck.
38:03
It was crazy. All these really cool things
38:06
just happened in three days. So now every day I walk outside
38:09
I'm like, where are those damn birds?
38:12
Somebody poop on me please. Bring it, bring it.
38:17
There are wonderful. Things happening.
38:20
I mean, you know, because you were the guests.
38:25
I'm the host of a new show called Thrive Inside from our
38:29
friends at Pets Pet Greens Out getting our kitties to thrive
38:34
inside. I will be at Percon, which I'm
38:39
really excited, which is part of Popcon in Indianapolis at the
38:43
end of June. I'm there for Pet Greens,
38:46
hosting A Thrive Inside show and I don't think I can say yet.
38:51
I can't say it hasn't been announced yet, but we have a
38:54
really, really special guest that everyone is going to be
38:57
like, they're going to be so excited.
38:59
So that's happening. Then not long after that, we'll
39:04
be at Cat Con, which is incredible, be at CFA.
39:09
We're so excited this year that at Cat Con we're sharing a
39:13
booth. Is this out there now?
39:15
I don't know, but it is now. Yeah, we're sharing a booth.
39:20
So we can take like we get to. There we go.
39:25
Yay. The luck is still there.
39:27
The bird poop is still there. Yeah.
39:30
So. So that's really exciting
39:32
because that means we get to kind of refuel together the
39:35
whole. Weekend going to be an amazing
39:40
weekend. I don't want to wish time by I'm
39:42
not getting any younger, but I am super excited for like
39:47
there's definitely a lot of things that I have to look
39:49
forward to for sure that I'll be plugging back in.
39:53
And you know, we just launched because, you know, when things
39:58
get a little crazy, all right, set back with a, you know, think
40:02
about what do we need to be doing?
40:04
And so Mission Meow has started what we call the summer of
40:07
support. You guys saw our our very first
40:10
post today of support. We talked about Jay and Adrian,
40:14
the 2 crazy cat ladies who are our very first business partner.
40:17
So we have recognized that. I mean, I see the stories about
40:21
the rescues every day. Trust me, I'm reading about
40:23
kitten season. And I know what's going on out
40:26
there, but we should be very honest that, you know, a lot of
40:30
our business partners are small, medium, and even the large ones
40:33
are feeling it. Everybody's feeling this crunch
40:37
right now. And so we really want to
40:40
highlight our business partners. They, they give to Mission Meow
40:46
and they, I mean, I, I know that there's a Halo effect for them.
40:50
It's good to give, right? But we if we want people to know
40:55
I have a personal relationship, I want to say this with every
40:58
single we have over 80 business partners.
41:00
I could be on the phone with any of them any day and I'm talking
41:03
to a couple tomorrow actually. And I've been making phone calls
41:07
regularly now catching up. What's going on?
41:09
Tell me how is business, what we can, what can we do?
41:12
And that's how we came up with this summer of support where we
41:15
are we going to be focusing on highlighting our businesses.
41:18
So everybody knows, hey, these guys care.
41:23
They are, It's not just about that they've chosen Mission
41:26
Meow, it's just they've also chosen to get.
41:28
That means all of the rescues that we help, you're helping all
41:32
those. They care about the cat
41:34
community. So we all know you need food,
41:37
you need litter, you're going to need cat toys, you're going to
41:39
need things. Go to missionmeow.org.
41:41
Look at that list, sign up for our newsletter.
41:44
That list is at the end of every single newsletter and you can
41:46
click on it and it will take you right to their websites.
41:49
If you need behavioral advice, we have behaviorists.
41:52
I mean, there's everything. It's one stop shopping.
41:55
And if you have a need, just go to our website.
41:58
Look, know that your support that then in turn supports us,
42:02
that then in turn feeds our grants.
42:05
And I think that that's really, really important.
42:09
There's the two sides, there's the grant recipients and the
42:12
business partners. And it's it's all a family.
42:15
It's all mission meow family. It's not a trans.
42:18
You guys know, this is not a transactional thing.
42:20
It's not just here's the check and we're like, yeah, thank you.
42:23
You know, no, I'm very invested in every relationship that I
42:28
have. It's really important for me.
42:31
And I think that's something that, I mean, I know we're
42:33
already running out of time because that always happens with
42:35
you. Are we running out of time?
42:38
Yeah, we are. I, I really, I mean, I think
42:41
that's a great message for all of us.
42:43
I feel like, you know, relationships are so
42:45
foundational. And if you are in a community
42:47
where you know that there is a shelter in need or you are open
42:50
to fostering or whatever it is that you want you're thinking
42:53
about doing, you know, maybe this is a sign to to take that
42:58
step and do that little thing that that you can do you.
43:02
Know people should know it's it doesn't.
43:04
So when it comes to donating, it could be tiny, it could be $5.
43:07
I'm not going to say that if somebody out there wants to give
43:09
us $1000, don't stop, don't change your mind, don't give us
43:12
$5.00. But the ones who can give $5
43:14
give $5.00. But also that means if you don't
43:17
have 5 hours a week, I guarantee you could do something in an
43:22
hour. Now, maybe that means you can't
43:24
be physically at a shelter. But maybe you maybe you like
43:29
sharing things on social. Maybe you spend a lot of time in
43:31
the computer. Maybe you are specifically good
43:34
at social media. Maybe you know how to write
43:36
newsletters. Maybe you're an accountant that
43:38
could help somebody with books. There's so many different ways,
43:42
like for me as the older I get, it's very hard for me to be
43:47
hands on. I want to bring them all.
43:49
Like the the need to save them now has just just grown.
43:54
Like seriously, everywhere I go I'm like, can I just bring a
43:57
couple carriers? And so it's bad.
43:59
I can do this right? So everybody can find something
44:04
that they can do and it doesn't matter how little your time is.
44:08
I have somebody who does 2 posts a week for me.
44:11
Guess what that means? Those two days I don't have to
44:13
make posts. That saves me a lot of time
44:15
because I'm telling you, when this girl goes into Canva, we
44:18
have no idea how long it's going to take me to make it because I
44:21
obsess over it. Who does two days a week?
44:25
I have somebody who does all our graphics, so I can just text
44:28
her, say this is what I need. And so, but they all add up.
44:32
They all help me immensely. And I guarantee you could find
44:36
an organization and they'll be something that you can do.
44:40
And don't talk about asking if you don't see on the volunteer
44:43
page of an organization, just reach out to them and say I have
44:46
this skill. Is there any way you can use
44:49
this skill? Yeah, it all matters.
44:53
Yes, every bit. Creates that ripple effect.
44:57
And again, like this, like this has been, This has been said in
45:01
so many ways. I printed out a few well known
45:05
phrases about giving. The Bible says it's more bliss
45:10
blessed to give than to receive. And Frank said, no one has ever
45:13
become poor by giving. And I 2nd and Frank on that
45:17
because we, I mean like we, we know that you just can't out
45:21
give the universe you it's, it's, it's a beautiful thing.
45:25
Winston Churchill said you make a living by what you get.
45:28
You make a life by what you give.
45:31
Then Arabic proverb, another proverb, the hand that gives is
45:34
the hand that gathers. Giving is not just about making
45:38
a donation. It's about making a difference.
45:40
There's it goes on and on, right?
45:41
Like we know all of this stuff. So what I encourage everyone to
45:45
do is not think in terms of lack in this time when you know the
45:51
we're, we're, we're, we're, we're to.
45:54
Mine is an easy place to go, right?
45:57
Yeah, Let's not go to the easy place.
45:59
Let's not go to the easy place of lack.
46:00
Let's go to the place of what can I give?
46:02
What do I, what do I have to give?
46:05
Is it like you said, an hour? It's yeah, I think in terms of
46:08
abundance. I have a quote that's not
46:10
necessarily a giving quote, but this, this goes to what we're
46:13
talking about. Just bigger picture.
46:16
I don't know if you've heard of this one.
46:17
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.
46:21
Working together is success. Yes.
46:25
Oh, I love that. I love that.
46:26
I don't know who to give credit for that, but it really is
46:31
about, you know it all of those things.
46:38
I can't, I can't say it enough. It's more important now than
46:42
ever. And I, I hope that some of the
46:45
things that we said tonight meant something to somebody,
46:48
right? Well, it does or or this
46:50
wouldn't have this podcast wouldn't have come together
46:52
right. So even if it's just for one
46:54
person out there, if you know if anyone is led to give, reach out
47:00
to your local shelter. If you want to give to mission
47:02
Meow, the link is in the description here.
47:05
Again, any, any, any amount, any amount is a wonderful amount.
47:10
If you feel led to give to mission Meow and this beautiful
47:13
journey that you're on and this beautiful mission that you that
47:17
you have, please do. It's our favorite.
47:20
But, but, but you know, also, you know, blankets.
47:25
Do you have extra blankets? Are you getting a new washer and
47:28
dryer? And your washer and dryer works
47:30
just fine. Did you even think until tonight
47:33
that you might could donate that to a local rescue or, you know,
47:38
a local program that needs these kind of things?
47:43
So anyways, I have to show you guys something cuz I know you'll
47:46
appreciate it. So oddly, Scott and I live near
47:51
the beach in New Jersey and then the summer everybody comes here.
47:54
So we like to go to Brooklyn and there is a place in Brooklyn
47:59
that's very special to me. Taya Grant.
48:03
I love you Taya. I love her husband.
48:06
They I found this vintage bracelet there and her husband
48:10
Niko does stamping on it. So I had and I wear this now.
48:16
Oh my God, I love that it's. Really, really heavy, but it is
48:21
my like, what would you it's like a touchstone or is it is
48:25
Talisman the right word? I don't know, but it's something
48:28
now I wear literally all the time.
48:32
It feels like my Wonder Woman bracelet right, like Bam, I love
48:38
it. I like that's what that's going
48:42
to be. My next tattoo is going to be
48:43
something mission meow. It needs, It needs to be like
48:47
it's it's. On your birthday.
48:50
I just, I can't, it's so hard for me to express how much I how
48:55
much I love this organization. And it's not because it was my
48:59
brain, you know, like it's, I just love it so much and I'm so
49:05
passionate about it. That's why I lose sleep over it
49:07
and about wanting to be 5 years down the road and all those
49:11
things and why I'm drinking wine out of a cat glass tonight, you
49:14
know, like. It is the only way to drink.
49:18
Wine. Hello.
49:20
And maybe that's, you know, if nothing else, if, if there is no
49:24
extra time, if there is no extra money, I think all of us benefit
49:28
from thinking about what is abundant in our lives and
49:31
really, really focusing. GK Chesterton is the one that
49:34
said gratitude is the highest form of thought and it literally
49:39
does something to your entire energy feel when you take a
49:44
moment and get to just absorb the gratitude that you have for
49:48
Friday, being a good girl today or you know, whatever it is,
49:53
think about the abundance in your life and from there you
49:57
will find a way to really be able to celebrate just how
50:02
abundant this beautiful. Well.
50:04
That was nice there we. Go there always has to and this
50:10
is live. There is no blooper reel, right?
50:15
And that's going to wrap up this serious.
50:19
Heartfelt moment and guess that what said people, it's also fun
50:25
being a part of this community. It yes, all everything we said,
50:29
but it's really fun. There's so much love.
50:32
Definitely. If you can come visit us at
50:35
Catcon, come to CFA, I get to know the people in this
50:39
community. I was so fortunate when I went
50:41
to California. I'm going to shout it out to
50:43
Gene at Gatos Calleros United, whose personality and just the
50:51
love he radiates. I just, I came home so inspired
50:57
by him and the work that he does.
51:00
I cannot wait for you guys to meet him at Cat Con.
51:04
You are going to just like it's, it's about the people.
51:08
It, it, it's, you know, we all love cats and we're all doing
51:11
what we can. The people that are involved are
51:14
so incredible. It's all, you know, I love you
51:19
too. I love you too, Donald.
51:22
Donald's just more shy. He always says his he's more
51:25
about action than words. So man, is is he the best too.
51:30
I I swear I came back from California in that event, a
51:33
completely changed person. Oh wow.
51:37
That is a great reminder too. What is it?
51:38
Jay always says you are who you hang around and I think, you
51:41
know, spending time with like minded people who are motivated
51:45
to do something beautiful. It's it really?
51:49
That was I met the most incredible people in that
51:54
community. They shout out to Wilmington, CA
51:57
and the rescuers and the Caretakers and the theaters and
52:03
they deserve better. And that event we, we had a
52:07
really, really good weekend, but I want to see more of that out
52:10
there. They are so incredible and so
52:13
resilient. I, I really, I came back a
52:16
completely different person and kind of re prior like my
52:23
priorities are there, but it really made me more focused.
52:25
OK, you know. Oh I love it, I love it.
52:29
OK so that is going to wrap up this episode of two crazy cat
52:32
layer back in the closet with the 2 crazy cat lays.
52:34
I always forget what we're called, especially after all
52:37
someone like to keep it real for us.
52:39
All the time. Yeah, thank you for doing this.
52:42
Thank you for having me on as a guest again.
52:44
Like I said, I would honestly talk to you guys every week
52:46
because it's like tonight I'm going to walk away feeling you
52:51
guys fed my soul again. I'm reinvigorated.
52:53
I'm going to sleep better tonight.
52:55
Oh, I yeah, Likewise. We yeah, we love you so much.
52:59
Thank you for everything that you do again in the description
53:03
to check out mission Meow's website.
53:06
Donate if you can and if you and, and if you can't, like just
53:10
think of a way that you can give because I promise you that the,
53:14
the, the results of giving and that ripple effect is it's,
53:20
it'll change your life. It's, it's tenfold that that
53:23
comes back. It's it's we get more than than
53:26
we give and but we want to just keep giving, right?
53:29
So, so, so do please do. We love you, Sally.
53:34
I love you guys so so much. Can't wait to see you.
53:38
Very soon, very soon. And I'm just.
53:41
Going to reply.