Non-Profit Organization Design Project - The Cats Meow Rescue
In August (2021) we were contacted by Jessica Gil, a Graphic Design student at Florida International University. She had a design project for the semester to raise awareness for a non-profit organization. Their project included creating 10 posters and donating them to their organization of choice. Jessica knew she wanted to focus her project on special-needs animals so she did some research and found TCMR. She explained, "I believe it is important for society to become aware of disabled animals and for us to open our hearts to our furry friends and show that they are no different than any other pet. Your organization's passion and goals has inspired me to start making a difference."
We chatted back and forth and she sent us a questionnaire so she could learn more about our mission, goals, audience and to get a more personal feel for our rescue vision. A few months passed and she was ready to show us some of her posters. She shared, "Last time we spoke your answers inspired me to show how special needs kitties can still have fun, happy, and healthy lives. I wanted to illustrate them partaking in some fun scenarios with non special needs and special needs kitties." I can't even express how moved I was to see what she created. I absolutely love the style, I love the variety of situations these kitties are in and how creatively it showcases that special-needs kitties are just as happy, just as capable and just as deserving of love as any other kitty. I felt she truly captured the spirit of special-needs kitties and our rescue and it touched my heart to a point of tears (happy ones, of course!).
But she wasn't done yet... there were still a few more posters she was working on to complete the series. Early in December I got another email from her with the full set of 10 posters and her final thoughts, "I want to thank you again for giving me this opportunity to work with you and to donate these posters. They were a joy to make and made me realize how much I love to use illustrations and design to help others ." We are so very honored that she chose our rescue and our kitties as the subject and inspiration for her design project this semester. Each of these posters tells such a wonderful story and speaks volumes for the love that these kitties have and deserve. We are so humbled by all the thought and effort she put into each one. The creativity and care of each design mirrors exactly what we try to do for these kitties. I absolutely love them all! And as you look through the posters, you will see some of our actual special-needs kitties represented! Jessica's final thoughts: "I hope my work inspires change and that people come to love and appreciate special needs cats. The most important thing is realizing that they too can live happy, healthy and normal lives just like any other kitty, and like us too! We all are unique in our own special way just like these cats, so I found it important to show them in a positive light, free of pity or guilt. If we all open our hearts and give them the opportunity, we'll find that these cats are as loving and charming as any other cat. I hope that together we can destigmatize these wonderful animals and find them forever loving homes."
Thank you, Jessica, from the bottom of our hearts!
We chatted back and forth and she sent us a questionnaire so she could learn more about our mission, goals, audience and to get a more personal feel for our rescue vision. A few months passed and she was ready to show us some of her posters. She shared, "Last time we spoke your answers inspired me to show how special needs kitties can still have fun, happy, and healthy lives. I wanted to illustrate them partaking in some fun scenarios with non special needs and special needs kitties." I can't even express how moved I was to see what she created. I absolutely love the style, I love the variety of situations these kitties are in and how creatively it showcases that special-needs kitties are just as happy, just as capable and just as deserving of love as any other kitty. I felt she truly captured the spirit of special-needs kitties and our rescue and it touched my heart to a point of tears (happy ones, of course!).
But she wasn't done yet... there were still a few more posters she was working on to complete the series. Early in December I got another email from her with the full set of 10 posters and her final thoughts, "I want to thank you again for giving me this opportunity to work with you and to donate these posters. They were a joy to make and made me realize how much I love to use illustrations and design to help others ." We are so very honored that she chose our rescue and our kitties as the subject and inspiration for her design project this semester. Each of these posters tells such a wonderful story and speaks volumes for the love that these kitties have and deserve. We are so humbled by all the thought and effort she put into each one. The creativity and care of each design mirrors exactly what we try to do for these kitties. I absolutely love them all! And as you look through the posters, you will see some of our actual special-needs kitties represented! Jessica's final thoughts: "I hope my work inspires change and that people come to love and appreciate special needs cats. The most important thing is realizing that they too can live happy, healthy and normal lives just like any other kitty, and like us too! We all are unique in our own special way just like these cats, so I found it important to show them in a positive light, free of pity or guilt. If we all open our hearts and give them the opportunity, we'll find that these cats are as loving and charming as any other cat. I hope that together we can destigmatize these wonderful animals and find them forever loving homes."
Thank you, Jessica, from the bottom of our hearts!
