C OMMUNITY S ERVICE – F OR T HE L OVE OF C ATS Some of you may have heard of For the Love of Cats. They are the no-kill rescue organization that is celebrating 20 years of caring for the cats on Marco Island and throughout Collier County. The vision of the organization is to see a world where all cats’ lives matter. They began their mission by fixing the thousands of free roaming cats on Marco Island and the surrounding communities, rescuing and adopting the kittens and abandoned house cats. Their programs expanded over time to meet the current needs of the underserved community. These programs include a fund for urgent and wellness veterinary care, spay/neuter costs for rescued cats and kittens, a county-wide adoption and promotion for senior cats, a pet food pantry, and an FGCU scholarship fund.
For the Love of Cats was founded by Jim and Jan Rich. They continue to be fulltime volunteers of the organization. With the help of a wonderful family of volunteers and the financial support of the community, the organization continues to add to their impact that includes rescuing and adopting over 2,600 cats and kittens, preventing the birth and suffering of over 575,000 kittens in the wild, sterilizing over 2,400 cats throughout the county, saving the lives of over 400 cats
in urgent need of veterinary care, assisting in the adoption of almost 200 senior cats countywide and providing over 50,000 lbs. of dog and cat food for families in need. Last year, For the Love of Cats funded a partial year scholarship for an FGCU biology student on a career path in veterinary medicine with the help of corporate partners. They plan to expand the program to pay for a full year in 2022. This year, the organization also plans to initiate partnerships with other animal organizations in the county to develop large scale spay/neuter events for communities in need. For the Love of Cats is a 501c3 non-profit organization that is completely funded by the generosity of the public. Donations can be made through their website www.fortheloveofcatsfl.com or text LOVECATS to 44321. Jan and Jim say, “Purrs of thanks!”
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