Being Supportive
For this #WiseWednesday we want to talk about support for organizations like ours helping animals.
From outside, it can be difficult to understand how and why organizations get things done. It can be easy to become critical or unhappy when help is not immediately provided or when things don’t work out the way we’d hoped. It’s important to keep in mind that there is often a direct connection between the amount of community support an organization receives and what they are able to achieve. Even the hardest working and most dedicated volunteers have limits as to how much they can pitch in themselves. We all have different capabilities when it comes to providing organizational support. Here are a few ideas we’d like you to keep in mind, when it comes to supporting the Japan Cat Network.
1: The need is endless
We receive daily messages and requests for help, regarding animals in need, from people throughout Japan. One of the most difficult aspects can be deciding who and where we are able to help, based on current resources. You won’t hear about every case, because time is one of those very limited resources. We do our best to demonstrate and to remind everyone about what we do and how we help by posting as many pictures and about as many cases as possible. Though the numbers living in our animal care facilities may not seem huge, this is because we are determined not to overcrowd, and dedicated to providing happy comfortable lives to all in our care.
2: We help in many ways
Taking animals into shelter often gets the most attention, but it is only a part of what we do. In fact, one of our main goals is to keep animals from having to go to shelters. Whenever possible, we connect people who have animals in need directly to potential homes and/or local resources. We provide advice and/or support so that animals can remain in homes, rather than require other places to go. We help with sterilization projects in order to reduce the number of homeless animals, and we participate in educational activities, in order to make the public more aware of community animal welfare needs. Importantly, we actively curate, moderate, and build this community of cat helpers so that we can work better together to achieve common goals.
3: There are many ways to support our work
Money is of course always needed, whether that be for shelter supplies, transport costs, or paying the electricity bill. We’re pretty proud of what we regularly manage to accomplish on a shoestring budget. Monthly supporters are such a big help, because this is money we can count on, when planning ahead. However, if you don’t have extra money to give, there are other important ways to help. Volunteers are always needed, onsite in Tokyo or Kyoto, as well as at a distance. This can be win-win if you are hoping to spend more time with animals and/or in need of basic accommodation. Helping online from home can be done via admin team participation or all on your own. Your reach can be much greater than ours, when it comes to presenting needs to the public. Sharing, liking, following, and commenting on all of our social media channels can make a huge difference without costing you anything. If you can’t make a lifetime commitment to adopt, consider being a foster home for animals in need. Even a week can make a lifesaving difference, when there is no other safe place to go. Communicate with friends and family about animal welfare issues, such as adoption, spay/neuter, and support for organizations like ours. Your recommendation and first hand experience can mean more and be most impactful.
4: We are often in desperate need
We don’t want to bring people down or present a sad face. We know that you might be having tough times as well. We do our best to show you a positive and successful approach to animal rescue. We believe wholeheartedly in that approach, and it’s probably what keeps many of our core volunteers invested. However, behind the scenes we are often really struggling day to day. Without JCN admin regularly covering our deficits, we would not be able to pay for much of what the organization does, using our current donations. We are exhausted by the overwhelming need, and worried about our ability to pay the bills tomorrow. We feel devastated about every loss or failure and we know that, as bad as it gets, we still have to get up and move on right away. Animals and people depend on us every single day. Even though you don’t see much of this first hand, please know that it’s always there. Kind words; thank you’s; acknowledgement for help given; and your support or contributions, mean the world to those working hard to bravely face the next animal crisis.
5: We thank you
We don’t say this often enough, but those of you who support our efforts in any way possible are part of every life we save. Some of our supporters have been helping us monthly for over a decade, which is a continuous encouragement. We are immensely grateful for your help. It makes us smile when packages of food arrive to feed the kitties, or when we see enough money coming into our account to cover the next spay surgery. We are trying to let you know how thankful we are, as often as we can, and not to miss acknowledging every gift. We sometimes drop the ball on this, when things get especially tough. However we never stop thinking about the help we have generously received, or the kind hearts behind that help. We are also very appreciative of our core volunteer team, who give enormous amounts of time, energy, and love, to keep everything going day after day. We’re so proud of you! We are blessed to have an amazing admin team, as well as our onsite participants. Working side by side with such dedicated and positive people is an incredible honor.
6: There are rewards
While you may not get a trophy or win a prize, there are definitely benefits to participating in and/or supporting meaningful work like ours. It feels good to be a part of making the world a better place for animals and people. Every single part is a ripple spreading even further. There are improvements that you will be able to see first-hand, such as lives saved and placed in homes. There are also the many often unseen aspects, such as communities and public outlooks changing for the better. An amazing aspect of being part of creating a kinder world, is hoping for and believing in more good to come. That feeling can be a priceless asset to your own positive outlook and ability to succeed on a personal level.
Most of us can agree that there is a strong need for organizations like ours to work for social improvements; provide needed help and services; educate; and advise. When anyone has or sees particular difficulties, they hope to access organizations and hope that there will be someone there to help in times of need. Please consider helping JCN to be there, day after day, year after year. Take a look at our activities and at the wide number of people regularly involved or impacted.
Find ways to contribute and to also support JCN social media outreach, via the links below: