Cats have a reputation for being hardy, smart animals that generally do pretty well when left on their own outside. While that is sometimes true, life as a stray should never be the first option for any cat. The Independent Cat Society (ICS) is a no-kill cat shelter in Westville, and their mission is to provide homeless felines care, protection, and a new family.
Almost a decade ago, Allegius Credit Union saw the work that the ICS was accomplishing and wanted to find a way to contribute. Finding ways to make a difference in their community is one of their key goals.
“In today’s world, it’s becoming more and more important to find ways to reach out and help,” said Gary Fossey, VP of Member Development at Allegius Credit Union. “All over, we see people being warm and caring like right here at the Independent Cat Society, and we want to be a part of that.”
Allegius Credit Union thought of a simple and creative way to constantly raise funds for the ICS – becoming a member at ICS, which requires a simple one year $25 donation, makes you eligible to become an Allegius member. The standard qualification for Allegius membership is to work for select businesses and corporations around the Region, but donating to the ICS is a less exclusive path that also helps save cats and increases their chances of finding a good home.
“It’s been a great relationship, it really helps us a lot,” said Jocelyn Vereb, President of the Board of Directors at the Independent Cat Society. “Just this month alone, Allegius brought us $660 dollars, and every bit of that directly or indirectly goes back to the cats. It helps us buy food, pay utilities, and take care of other general stuff we need to keep going.”
More than that, they get our name out there. So many people come by and tell us they didn’t even know we were here until they heard about us from Allegius.”
The ICS is the temporary home to almost 200 cats, where each one is spayed or neutered, and examined by a vet. The COVID-19 pandemic is making it more difficult to find those cats forever homes, so Allegius decided to step-up and increase their contribution.
“Because of the pandemic, the Independent Cat Society isn’t getting the same amount of adoptions, donations, and sponsorships,” Fossey said. “On top of the memberships we collect for them, we’re going to increase our monthly donation amounts to help them get supplies they need in these tough times.”
To learn more about Allegius Credit Union, visit www.allegius.org. For more information about the Independent Cat Society, and to see every cat available for adoption, visit www.catsociety.org.