Our journey to find the right cause for us
This year, one of our goals was to find a cause to support. An organisation that is the best fit for what we stand for, as a team. Our passion is working with clients out there making a difference in the world. So, it’s important to me, and our team, that we’re giving back. Making more of a difference!
Here’s how our quest for the ‘right cause’ unfolded.
We are the sum of our individual parts, so I messaged everyone on Slack asking for their thoughts. For this to really work, I wanted the team to be passionate and involved. I was humbled by how many of them are already involved in charity work. With some good ideas to research we narrowed it down to wanting to help protect women or helping animals … most of us have pets supporting us while we work from home!
At our next Zoom meeting, we brainstormed, gravitating towards helping animals in some way (though we weren’t quite ready to help Beatrix out with her work fostering puppies!). Lisa mentioned seeing Pet Refuge on the news and on Instagram. I’d seen that news story too and remembered almost being in tears; both at the thought of women unable to leave abusive relationships due to leaving pets behind … or beloved pets being mistreated.
Some excited babble later, we had unanimous opt-in from the team. We had our cause!
Next step … do they want us?
I reached out through their website asking if they’d be interested in free virtual support and was relieved and beyond excited when Erin replied. Relieved because we’d already decided who we wanted to work with, and why we wanted to work with them. To have them ever so politely turn us down would have been devastating!
My first zoom with Erin nearly had me in tears (ok, I cry easy!) as she explained why, how, and what they do. Then she agreed to attend our next team zoom so they could all learn how supporting Pet Refuge helps women (and men!) leave, knowing their fur babies are safe and showered with love until they are able to be reunited.
We’re now working to free the Pet Refuge team up as much as possible, so they have more time to spend on growing this incredible organisation. Helping more women, and more pets feel safe and live the life they deserve.
And I’m so proud to say this has been a team effort with complete support from our incredible ladies to help make this world a better place.
We always say that we want to help others so they can focus in their zone of genius. So, if Pet Refuge are able to help more people and their pets, while we do what we love, it’s a win – win situation for us!
No matter what we achieve here at Your VA during 2022, working with Pet Refuge will be our greatest achievement.
If you would like to donate or learn more about what Pet Refuge is all about, please head to their website: www.petrefuge.org.nz
