100 Pieces of Love

Bailey is a kitty being cared for by Pasado’s Safe Haven of Sultan, Washington.

Bailey was one of 35 cats rescued from a hoarding situation in eastern Washington.

In determining how I might best help Bailey and Pasado’s I came up with an idea. Let’s do an outreach program to bring our community together to help little Bailey. No matter the differences, the path, the progress, we are all one, coming together to do something good for a soul who needs us, little Bailey of Pasado’s Safe Haven.

The plan began to form; create a puzzle and host a community paint day at our local mall, the Everett Mall, to get Bailey a new home.

The idea was spawned when one of our seasoned painters created a gift portrait for the director of another of the rescue, Purrfect Pals Cat Sanctuary. A kitty without an eye; whom she saw as a whole soul but with one small piece of the puzzle missing; its eye.

That spurred the idea on in me. Then a neighbor put posted a lovely picture of her frosted windows. I felt like those gorgeous fractal’s told yet another story of beauty in nature in in the adversity of winter time. Beauty, love and treasured people are everywhere if you’ll only open your eyes (and hearts) and see the wonder that is in each member the community that surrounds us.

And, as I was getting ready to sketch a rendition of sweet Bailey of Pasados, I thought, what if we all, as a community-team really gathered around to support Bailey on his quest for the right human and a good home. How could we do that as a group.

With all the wonderful assets available to us, from an invigorated community, a terrific shelter partner, the advantages of the Everett Mall, an idea begin to grow.

A 100 piece puzzle that the community could paint as a project.

We’d cut it out and hold a fun event, each person could come in and paint a piece to make it a combined effort of love.

And, that’s the story of how, on an icy winter day, when thinking about supporting a kitty who needs us all to find his purr-fect home, a community came together to DO. MORE. GOOD!

About Bailey:

Here's what the sanctuary has to say about Bailey. Bailey has come such a long way! She is a compact ball of love with a little bit of sass. Bailey loves the company of other cats and would do best in a home with another cat. She can be overly affectionate with other cats, so any felines in the home should be confident, outgoing, and welcoming of her. Bailey would do well in a home with a family who knows a bit about caring for cats, as she requires SQ fluids twice a week.

About PawsWithCause:

PawsWithCause is an all-volunteer Federally Registered 501(c)(3)

At PawsWithCause our mission is to “Create a World of Difference for a World we Love.”

Helping Senior Citizens, underserved persons, at-risk-youth, veterans & communities to find purpose and passion through painting.

Our single painting subject is shelter animals.

Working with area groups and through community paint dates we create joy and possibilities. Handcrafted paintings of shelter pets are loving made to represent animals in local shelters.

The painted pet portraits are displayed in 25 local area businesses getting pets & artists recognized and bringing a sense of pride of place back to communities.

Our efforts bring confidence & joy to our painters, some who've never before done art.

PawsWithCause intends to get over 3,000 animals, per region, re-homed.

This program will help save regional monies put toward tax payer animal care (estimated at $2Billion in the USA per year) & redirect that money toward other human services.

PawsWithCause art efforts are akin to art therapy. One of our senior citizens said, after her first time painting: "this makes you feel like you're more than you were."

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PawsWithCause was started as a means to serve senior citizens in assisted living centers. My mom had Alzheimer’s for nine years and painting was something we learned to do together; it made both of us feel like we had purpose and it built our confidence; as well as creating memories!

Since our inception, we’ve branched out. Pre-Covid we served 12 assisted living centers, some whose residents have Alzheimer’s and dementia like my mom.

Shortly after we started our events in 2019 at the Everett Mall artist studio, we begin working with Work Opportunities of Lynnwood, WA. workopportunities.org/ They help and serve person’s with disabilities. They were followed in short order by: Service Alternatives, Provail and several others.

Additionally, PawsWithCause developed a youth-services program (called YEP) that introduces volunteerism [Girl Scouts of America and National Honor Society have been great participants’, as well as others]. This opportunity helps kids realize they’re a ‘part of the whole community’. We took that to new levels with the wide-arm outreach to youth and young adults work to better themselves and find a means out of the juvenile justice system. Creating a program that gives purpose, hope, and builds confidence is a great substitute to liter pick-up or an alternative to detention. If we can create a path, for a young adult to get out of the “system”, that’s what we intend to do. Many wonderful volunteers were queuing up for this project prior to the Covid pandemic.

Most recently, we’ve begun discussion and development on a Veterans and Spouses program to use art as stress relief and to help bring families together. We’re working with a certified art therapist to develop these curricula.

PawsWithCause loves helping local animals find their fur-ever homes. We recognize not everyone can adopt, but anyone can help a shelter pet.