IT TAKES A VILLAGE: THE PEOPLE BEHIND FRESNO TNR

THOUSANDS OF CATS. ONE INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY.

When you see a cat with a freshly tipped ear walking through your neighborhood, you might think about the cat.

But have you ever stopped to think about all the people who helped that cat get there?

There is a whole team behind every cat Fresno TNR helps.

Someone trapped the cat. Someone transported it. Someone coordinated the appointment. A veterinary team provided the surgery and care. Volunteers made sure the cat was where it needed to be before and after the appointment. And then, that cat went back home to its neighborhood with one very important thing changed: it can no longer contribute to the cycle of unwanted kittens.

Multiply that by thousands of cats, and you start to get an idea of what Fresno TNR has become.

Since becoming a nonprofit in 2023, Fresno TNR has helped with more than 27,000 spay and neuter surgeries.

That number is amazing.

But what is even more amazing is the number of people it took to make those 26,000 cats possible.

IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE

Fresno TNR is a community effort in every sense of the word.

Our volunteers are the heart of the organization. They trap cats, transport them, clean kennels and traps, foster, help with intake, assist with events, care for recovering cats and kittens, answer questions and do countless other jobs that most people never see.

Some volunteers give a few hours when they can. Others are here every week. Some work directly with cats, while others spend their time behind a computer or phone.

Every one of those contributions matters.

And then there is the administration working behind the scenes to keep everything moving. Brandi, Gilbert, Kris, Cassie, and Savannah all play important roles in making Fresno TNR what it is today. And they only scratch the surface of the number of volunteers it takes to keep this organization running.

It is easy to see the cats.

It is harder to see all the people working behind the scenes to help them.

SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES

Fresno TNR has some amazing volunteers who work on things that don't necessarily involve touching a cat at all.

Our all-volunteer Website, Newsletter, and Social Media teams help spread the word about our work. They are the core group who help reach people who need our services. They promote events and help tell the stories of the cats and people who make up Fresno TNR.

Our Fundraising Team works on creative ways to bring our community together and generate support for the organization's mission.

And our Grant Writing Team spends countless hours researching opportunities, writing applications, and seeking out organizations that want to help communities like ours.

These teams may not always be visible, but their work makes it possible for Fresno TNR to continue growing and helping more cats.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS

Fresno TNR is also fortunate to have wonderful partners who believe in the work we are doing.

Dogwood Animal Foundation has been incredibly generous in supporting Fresno TNR, and we are truly grateful for their partnership.

We are also thankful for the veterinary professionals and organizations that work with us to provide services for the cats in our community.

And then there are the individual donors.

People from all over the United States have found Fresno TNR and chosen to support our mission. Some send their donations with their names attached, while others prefer to remain anonymous.

We may not always know the story behind every donation, but we know what it means to us.

It means someone, somewhere, believes that what we are doing matters.

And that means a lot.

EVERYONE HAS A WAY TO HELP

One of the things I love most about Fresno TNR is that there isn't just one way to be part of it.

You don't have to be an expert at trapping.

You don't have to be a veterinarian.

You don't need hours of free time every week.

Maybe you can foster a cat for a few days. Maybe you can help transport. Maybe you can spend a Saturday morning cleaning. Maybe you are good at social media. Maybe you love organizing events. Maybe you have experience writing grants. Maybe you are great at talking to people and would be incredible at a fundraiser.

Or maybe you see a Fresno TNR post on Facebook and share it with your friends.

All of it helps.

And sometimes that one small thing you do leads to something much bigger.

MORE THAN 27,000 CATS AND COUNTING

When we look at more than 27,000 spay and neuter surgeries, it would be easy to focus on the number.

But behind every number is a cat.

And behind every cat is a story.

There is the person who noticed the cat needed help. The volunteer who stepped up. The person who transported. The veterinary team. The foster. The donor. The fundraiser. The behind-the-scenes team of volunteers. The person who shared a post.

It takes all of us.

Fresno TNR exists because people decided that the cats in our community were worth helping.

So to every volunteer who has ever cleaned a kennel, set a trap, answered a message, transported a cat, opened their home to a foster, worked an event, written a grant, made a phone call, raised money, shared a post or showed up when someone needed help:

Thank you.

To our partners, donors, and supporters, including Dogwood Animal Foundation and the many individuals across the country who continue to believe in our mission:

Thank you.

To every volunteer, whether you’re out in the community or working behind the scenes, thank you for the time, energy, and heart you put into keeping Fresno TNR moving forward.

We've already helped more than 27,000!

And there are still so many more waiting.

That's why we keep going.

Because it takes a village, and Fresno TNR has an amazing one.