From Maine to Manhattan: Seeing Prevention in Action at PAWS NY

Last week, we traveled to New York City to visit the headquarters of PAWS NY in Chelsea, Manhattan. As a board, it felt important to show up in person. Not just to fund the work from afar, but to sit with the team, understand their systems, and see firsthand how prevention operates behind the scenes.

If you would like to support this campaign as you read, you can donate directly to our PAWS NY campaign here and help keep cats in the homes where they are loved.

On our way to Chelsea, we stopped at PetSmart to pick up toys and treats to bring with us. While there, we learned the store partners with City Critters, a local rescue organization, and we were able to donate food to them as well. It was an unexpected but meaningful moment. Supporting multiple organizations in one afternoon reminded us how interconnected animal welfare truly is.

Walking into PAWS NY’s headquarters with bags in hand felt symbolic. Even small comforts, a toy, a bag of food, a treat, can brighten a client’s week and reinforce that someone is thinking about them and their cat. Your support of this campaign helps provide those tangible items that make daily care possible.

Inside the Headquarters

The PAWS NY office reflects the nature of their work: thoughtful, organized, and deeply human.

The staff walked us through their intake process, case management systems, and how they coordinate services across New York City. We saw how carefully each client’s needs are assessed and how ongoing support is structured.

The services may sound simple. Food deliveries. Litter assistance. Transportation coordination for veterinary care. Short term support during hospitalization.

But these services are the difference between stability and surrender.

When you contribute to this campaign, your donation helps fund those exact supports: litter deliveries that remove physical strain, pet food that eases financial pressure, and veterinary assistance that prevents small medical issues from becoming crises.

The Strategy Behind the Compassion

PAWS NY focuses on seniors and individuals living with illness or disability who are aging in place. Many live alone. For them, their cat is not just companionship. It is emotional stability. It is daily routine. It is purpose.

The team shared how quickly small logistical barriers can escalate. A heavy bag of litter becomes unmanageable. A fixed income makes a vet bill feel impossible. A hospital stay creates uncertainty about what will happen at home.

Without intervention, surrender can feel inevitable.

With intervention, it does not have to be.

Gaske Cat Foundation exists to fund prevention at this exact tipping point. By donating to the PAWS NY campaign, you are helping remove the barriers that push loving owners toward impossible decisions.

Why This Visit Mattered

Spending time in Chelsea allowed us to see the infrastructure that makes this work sustainable. The coordination. The case management. The thoughtful allocation of resources. There is nothing performative about this model. It is steady, intentional, and deeply aligned with our mission to reduce owner surrender at the root.

On our way to their office, we stopped at PetSmart to pick up toys and treats to bring with us. While there, we learned that the store partners with City Critters, a local rescue organization, and we were able to donate food to them as well. It was an unexpected but meaningful moment. Supporting multiple organizations in one afternoon reinforced how interconnected this work truly is and how many groups are quietly working to keep animals safe.

We left New York feeling energized and confident in this partnership. Seeing prevention in action strengthened our belief that keeping cats at home is one of the most powerful forms of rescue there is.

Be Part of This Campaign

This campaign directly funds:

Pet food and litter deliveries
Subsidized and emergency veterinary care
Volunteer coordination and case management
Short term in home support during hospitalization or medical recovery

Every dollar raised helps stabilize a household and prevent unnecessary separation.

If this work resonates with you, we invite you to stand with us.

Together, we can ensure that temporary hardship does not become permanent loss.