When I talk to young people about to embark on a career in social change, I often tell them I have never had a dull day. Literally, I can state with utmost confidence that I have NEVER been bored in all my work years; there’s never a lack of interesting things to do EVER. Well, yesterday is a perfect example of this.

It all started early yesterday when Cheryl Dorsey, the President of Echoing Green, came into my office and calmly asked where the “cat people” were in the office. She thought that she heard a cat meowing from under a van parked outside our office on 35th Street. Her heart was already bleeding as she wondered how such an event could have occurred. Curious as to what was going on, we gathered our coats and went outside, just to see a man hop in and start the engine.

“Stop sir—there is a cat in the car,” Cheryl yelled. Indeed, there was. We all looked under the van to see one sleek paw emerge from the engine, accompanied with a bevy of nervous meows. We tried everything to get the cat out. Even the generous donation of lobster from the deli across the street did not lure him (although the smell brought a second paw to emerge from under the van).

It took three Echoing Green staffers, two good Samaritan cheerleaders, and one brave man to rescue “Ed” from under the car. We were smitten – he was skinny, scared, and very, very sweet. Without any sense of what to do with him, we snuck him into our office for the day. He promptly made himself at home (in one of our plants). The Program team got food, kitty litter, water, toys, and a towel for him. Shalena then found a vet’s office that would nurse him back to health and take care of him until they found him a home. This was all paid for by a partnership with the Mayor’s office. Blessings.

Despite our office’s deep desire to have animals around us all the time, this was a rare occasion. But then again, it is just another interesting day in the social change sector. 

See Ed for yourself here. Would you like to adopt him? Leave a comment or give us a call: 212-689-1165.