The Alternative Humane Society (AHS), an all-volunteer nonprofit in Whatcom County, Washington, provides canine and feline foster and adoption services amongst other programs. Based in Bellingham, Wash., Alycia Hawkins has been an active cat fosterer with Alternative Humane Society since 2021 and has fostered over 70 cats and kittens.
Paws & Pop Fundraiser Party
Alycia is a supporter of Random Acts and is constantly inspired by the compassion of community members who provide safe and loving homes to homeless cats and dogs. An active proponent of animal welfare, she hosted Paws & Pop, a community fundraiser to celebrate her 40th birthday party. The event was held at District Brewing in Lynden, Wash., and the space was donated specifically for the fundraiser. Paws & Pop brought together friends, family, and the broader community for a live pop music event featuring Bellingham-based singer-songwriter Veronica North, whose songs are known for their heartfelt lyrics and storytelling. The fundraiser, which served pizza, wings, and good vibes, collectively raised over $4,000 to benefit AHS and its mission.
Inspired by Kindness
As an extension of her Paws & Pop fundraiser, Alycia applied for a grant from Random Acts to coordinate the purchase and delivery of two of the most in-demand items to support foster homes and adoptable cats: cat litter and wet kitten food. She was inspired to undertake the act by Random Acts co-founder Misha Collins, whose support of the Whatcom County community has had a long-lasting impact on Alycia. Alycia chose to support the local economy by buying the supplies from the Bellingham branch of Alternative Humane Society’s valued community partner, Petco. Petco sells pet supplies, food, and services.
Spreading Festive Love for Animals
AHS cat supply coordinator Kaylin and Alycia embarked on the shopping expedition together, with Alycia embracing the Christmas festive spirit, wearing a holiday sweater featuring caricatures of herself, her three cats, and her dog, along with a playful holiday tree headband. Their act earned them the appreciation of the Petco staff who generously applied a 10% discount to their total order, allowing them to leave the store with two full carts of cat litter and wet kitten food amounting to $499. They took a commemorative photo at the end of the shopping journey and were joined by two adoptable kittens from the AHS Petco cat habitat, making for a wholesome moment.
Alycia is appreciative of the effort behind-the-scenes to aid the transition of pets into loving homes, and especially the manpower it takes in arranging supplies for them. The decision to take up the project was motivated by her desire to relieve some of the administrative and financial burden the AHS Board, administrative teams, and foster volunteers face, so that they can focus all their energy on caring for the animals.
Overcoming Obstacles
The project was not without its own hurdles and posed some logistical setbacks due to flooding and the busy holiday season. This led to scaling down the number of team members from AHS who could come along on the shopping trip and delayed the project timeline. Eventually, though, the goal was achieved, and both AHS and Petco were thankful for the donation that reduced financial strain and lifted spirits that were dampened during the holiday season, which was quite unseasonably interrupted by severe flooding.
Powerful Impact
When summarizing the act, Alycia said that she “felt deeply fulfilled and grounded, knowing that this contribution would support the many people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure simple, successful outcomes for the animals they serve. It reaffirmed how powerful even one well-supported act can be when it’s rooted in community, care, and shared purpose.”
