Donate to Improve Conditions at Rita's Rescue

Hello. We are Rita's Rescue, a local Nonprofit Cat Rescue in Mount Olive, North Carolina. We have been in operation since 2023. We have rescued over 200+ cats and currently have over 100 living within our rescue. Some are ferals, and some are adoptable. We have three separate locations.

Sunday, January 19, 2025 afternoon, while I was doing my weekly deep cleaning of the Adult cat barn, we had a scare. A fire started in one of our extension cords that supplied electricity from my personal home to the cat barn. Of course, I was completely unaware as I was in the cat barn cleaning, and the fire was inside the garage attached to the house. Luckily, my husband happened to be walking passed the garage door and was able to catch the fire (I assume when it first started) immediately and put it out. I hate to think what would have happened if this would have happened at night time while we were asleep. We have used this method of supplying electricity to the barn since Feb 2023, and just have not been able to have enough funds to put towards the upgrades or repairs needed for the barn, with all the expenses needed to keep the rescue running. IE: Food, Litter, Spay/Netuers, Medical Bills, Misc. for 100+ cats.

The amount I choose is an estimate. It could be way more but at least it is a start. Also, it is very hard to get an estimate first with no money in hand, with over 30 cats in the way. So whoever we have coming out, we do not want to waste their time. We want to move the cats one time and that is on day the work will be done.

Some repairs and Upgrades needed:

We need the barn completely wired. I currently as mentioned have been using an extension cord to supply all electricity to the barn - So that means that the extension cord would supply the power to the A/C window unit in the Summer and was Supplying it to the Heater during this Weather. With the very low temperatures currently and getting worse, this is not going to be an easy situation. I also have a lamp that gives me light. I would like to have an overhead light with a switch and at least two outlets.

Also to save on electricity because the window unit is very costly (The heater we use *thanks to a generous donation last year* wasn't so much), and to help with ventilation and air quality, I want to get a system I have been looking at I will attach in the pictures*

We have several leaks coming from somewhere. So of course that needs to be addressed and once that is addressed I need to replace the walls that are damaged from those leaks, and possibly the insulation.

Those are some of the MAJOR issues. We do have some minor ones but they are more cosmetic and can wait. * One day I hoped to have some running water in there as well but that is not a priority*