Columbus Nonprofits and Charities

Responding to calliecat, who sounds a lot like their feline program manager: I think you must mean "portalized," not "postalized," which you repeated several times. First, while portals are great to allow for more room in a cage for a cat, how does adding portals into an existing cage create more housing for your cats? Second, and more importantly, I was just terminated as a volunteer for bringing up my concerns about the poor housing conditions for their cats after being a dedicated, hard-working, regular volunteer every week for about 9 months. I bit my tongue for 8 months and said nothing, but finally had to advocate for the cats who have no voice to do so themselves. I was scared of upsetting someone, which is why I voiced my concerns in the kindest, walking on eggshells, couched-in-praise way humanly possible and just offered to help for free, but never in a million years did I expect to one, be completely ignored by the board president and told I shouldnt mention any concerns to staff by the board secretary because they would probably take it personally and it would just cause conflict, and two, to be sent a very rude email from the feline program manager telling me she has no idea why I thought it was a good idea to talk to the board and talking down to me in an incredibly unprofessional way. I was soon after terminated--the director told told me I had voiced too many concerns over the past week or two. My main concern was they kept "new" cats in stressful back rooms, right next to the loud barking dog kennels, hidden from the public and not even posted online, for an average of 2 months (sometimes <br>longer) throughout the time I helped there. For a lot of that time, all the cages and space up front were full, and I was told by a cat staff member that is why they could not be moved up, but they could have at least posted them online. But around December or January, they started having open cages and space up front and they still weren't moving cats up. I nicely asked for answers and offered to help if it was a capacity issue and was at first ignored by multiple people. Then I eventually got a hodgepodge of nonsensical excuses, such as both their feline program manager and their director telling me they aren't moving neutered cats up or posting them online until "the testosterone leaks out of their urine" and their urine is no longer "stinky." One of the craziest things I have ever heard. They got rid of a wonderful volunteer who spent more time with the cats and knew more about them than their staff ever did. I didn't even get a thank you for all the free labor and donations I gave them and was abruptly and quite rudely told I was being terminated. A volunteer should be allowed and even encouraged to voice concerns and suggestions for improvements, people in management positions should not take this feedback personally and react defensively and rudely. Their priority should be to care more about what's best for their animals. And no, calliecat, most of your cats are not "happy and healthy and being adopted every day." They are stressed and a great many if not most get sick after entering your shelter and you don't have proper isolation or cleaning protocols in place to try to prevent that.

I began fostering for CARE 10/2021. I had no idea how much these amazing volunteer animal rescuers would change my life. I highly recommend CARE for adoption & fostering if you have it in your heart.

I decided to volunteer since I was new in the city and asked for an opportunity to get involved with the community of Columbus, IN. In my interview I was so well treated and people was so friendly that I decided to volunteer everyday at FFY. I am having the opportunity to help people, help myself knowing people, make friends and, get closer to the community.

This is a great way to assist the less fortunate children of Columbus and Bartholomew county. Last year the Columbus Fireman's Cheer Fund was able to obtain toys for 1443 Children. We also secured 200 food baskets for the elderly. We are in our 79th year and are proud to be an organization that has so many wonderful volunteers and much needed public support.