Volunteer

Become A Foster Parent!

We have 3 types of foster opportunities. Those that care for bottle babies, weaned kittens and those that take on furever after felines that need to be matched with their furever families. Details about all volunteer positions are below.

Note: we use a private Facebook group and GroupMe chat to communicate with our teams. 

"Being a Foster Parent is hard but very rewarding work. Bottle feeding babies, watching them grow, and the joyful tears in letting them go to good homes is what makes being a Foster Parent worth it. " -Jenni Riha - Founder of Foster Kitten Project 

Bottle Babies

Weaned Kittens

Furever After Felines

Can I Be A Foster Parent?

Steps To Becoming A Foster Parent

1.     Ensure you meet the "Can I Be A Foster Parent" criteria.

2.     Fill out the Foster Parent Application.

3.     Wait to hear from a member of our staff.

4.     Contact your vet to allow us to ask about your current pets.

5.     Undergo a background check.

6.     Undergo a home inspection.

7.     Once approved, wait for kitten(s) to become available.

Can't Foster?  That's okay, get involved another way!

Please fill out this General Volunteer Application for a non-fostering job. Details about all volunteer positions are below.

Note: we use a private Facebook group and GroupMe chat to communicate with our teams. 

Administrative

Carries out administrative duties such as filing, scanning, logging, typing, etc. Has the ability to communicate via phone, email, and text effectively. Is self-motivated and organized. Typically reports to the President and/or Vice President. For some tasks, it is essential that this person be close to Bellevue, NE, or willing to travel to Bellevue, NE to transport paperwork. However, we also have virtual administrative roles to fill, such as updating Petstablished bios, intake and adoption numbers, and updating the website.


Requirements for administrator that logs hard copies:

 1) Must have a personal scanner and experience with Google Drive.

2) It is also essential that this person be close to Bellevue, NE, or willing to travel to Bellevue, NE to transport supplies.


Time commitment: This is a new position that we anticipate may take around 5 hours a week, not including travel time.


Software: We use Petstablished and Google Drive to track information. Then we communicate with email, Facebook, and GroupMe Chat applications. 

Application Processor

Review adoption applications by thoroughly reading and following up. This may be calling or emailing veterinary clinics to ensure current pets are up to date on vaccinations and healthcare, confirming residence allows pets, and contacting personal references.  Those in this position do their best to ensure pet adoptions result in lasting bonds. However, some pets will always be returned, perhaps for reasons beyond an application reviewer's control. If a reviewer doesn't think an adopter is right for a given animal, they must be able to explain their decision.


Time commitment: This is an on-call position as the need arises. Our Application Processing Coordinator, Alli, will communicate our needs. It is vitally important that applications are processed as soon as possible, or we risk losing potential adopters. We try to have these done within 7 days.


Software: We use Petstablished to process applications. Then we communicate with email, Facebook, and GroupMe Chat applications. 

Event/Booth Helper

Set up and/or tear down booth and materials. Work event by answering questions, selling merchandise, and promoting The Foster Kitten Project. Also, show off kittens if they are at the event.


Time commitment: These events usually take place over the weekend, and we ask that event/booth helpers work at least one 2 to 4 hours shift.

Event Coordinator

Primary duties include finding new events for The Foster Kitten Project to participate in, continuing our partnership with events we are already involved with, and volunteering your time at the events. Also, work with the Social Media Specialist to advertise events and maintain brand consistency.


Time commitment: Our goal is to host or participate in one event per month. Some events like; Earth Day and Pick-a-Pooch, are ones we have a booth at annually. These are generally weekend-long events, and we will ask other volunteers to help, so the event coordinator is not working the entire weekend. We also host a dinner benefit around February that a team of people help organize. Other events to get involved with the event coordinator would need to research.

Foster - Bottle Babies

This is gratifying work but also time-consuming as bottle-fed kittens need a lot of TLC. Volunteers with bottle babies must have the ability to feed them several times a day unless there is a nursing mom. Bottle feeding is a trainable skill. The most significant requirement is time availability. 

Also, share photos and videos with on Facebook, Instagram and with the Marketing Team to share on website. 


Time commitment: Neonatal kittens need to be fed every 2-3 hours, be stimulated, and kept warm. If possible, weigh kittens using a food or postal scale once a day or at least once a week.


Software: Ability to use social media to advertise your kittens and share updates. We communicate thru Facebook and GroupMe. 

Foster - Weaned Kittens

Care for weaned kittens by feeding, playing with, and socializing them. If they were born in foster care, mom may still be with them. They are less time consuming than bottle babies, but to keep taking in neonatal kittens, the weaned kittens need to be moved to appropriate fosters.

Write bios and take photos to have the administrative team update on Petstablished. Also, share photos and videos with on Facebook, Instagram and with the Marketing Team to share on website. 


Time commitment: Weaned kittens need to be feed 3-4 times a day, and have a clean area with litter. Warning they can be messy.


Software: Ability to use social media to advertise you kittens and share updates. We communicate thru Facebook and GroupMe. 

Foster - Furever After Felines

This group of kittens and cats has minimal care. They are old enough and healthy to go to their furever homes. This is where you come in. Your focus is to get these kittens/cats adopted by advertising them on Petstablished and social media (we will help and train you). Also, you will need to arrange and go to Meet-and-Greets. We have a list of locations that work with us. Additionally, we can have other volunteers help with this.

Write bios and take photos to have the administrative team update on Petstablished. Or update Petstablished yourself.

Also, share photos and videos with on Facebook, Instagram and with the Marketing Team to share on website.


Time commitment: FurEver After Felines need to be fed 2 times a day, and have a clean area with litter and water. A couple of hours a month to update online info on kittens/cats. Then, we would like you to participate in 1 Meet-and-Greet a month which takes around 4 hours. 


Software: Ability to use social media and Petstablished to advertise your kittens and share updates. We communicate thru Facebook and GroupMe. 

Grant Writer

This is a new area for us, and we welcome any insight. We need someone to write coherent, organized, and compelling grant proposals. Also, collaborate with team members in the organization to assist with other fundraising projects.


Time commitment: Our goal is to complete an application every 3 months; this is negotiable.

Marketing and Communications

Responsible for creating content on all social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to build an audience and ensure follower engagement. Update website as needed. Create and update handouts, like this handbook, as needed.

Time commitment: We anticipate this may take around 10 hours a month, depending on the project.

Software: Google Drive, Canva, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter. 

Meet-and-Greeter

May work in group or alone. Contact local stores, we have a list of suggestions, and set up a time that works for you to host a 2-hour Meet-and-Greet. Arrange a time with FKP to pick up and transport kittens and other supplies, like handouts, to the store.


Set up and/or tear down the booth. Work event answering questions and promoting The Foster Kitten Project kittens. Kittens are never available to go to a furever home from these events, but please have interested parties fill our paper or online applications.


Time commitment: We anticipate this may take around an hour to arrange and an additional 3 hours over a weekend. A half-hour to set up, work the Meet-and-Greet for 2 hours, and clean up in a half-hour. Then kittens and supplies would need to be transported back to FKP.

Toy Maker and/or Packager

Do you have sewing skills? Great, we need help making cat toys to sell at events. If sewing isn't your thing we completed toys packaging and labeled. 


Requirement: It is also essential that this person be close to Bellevue, NE, or willing to travel to Bellevue, NE to transport supplies.


Time commitment: This is a new position. We will ask for help as needed. We anticipate a couple of hours a week, not including travel time.

Salesperson

Choose one or more specific duties 

Work craft fairs, trade shows, etc., to sell our merchandise. This person will make the arrangements, set up, work events, and clean up. Additional volunteers will help as needed. 


Time commitment: We expect finding and registering for an event will take a few hours. Then, each event is different, but most last a weekend. We will have multiple volunteers help with weekend-long events. These can be arranged to suit your schedule, but our goal is one every other month.


Reach out to local stores to arrange a partnership selling our merchandise. We have a list of stores to start with, but all ideas are welcome. Then, this would be your personal project to keep track of and build a relationship with the store.


Time commitment: This is a new position, and the time commitment is negotiable. Perhaps a few hours to get started, and then we anticipate minimal time to keep building business relationships. Our goal is to get into at least one store by the end of 2021.


Manage our sales and handle shipments of our merchandise thru online store or other applications. We are open to suggestions.


Time commitment: This is a new position, and the time commitment is negotiable. Our goal is to get our merchandise online through Facebook Marketplace or another free and appropriate platform.

Transporter

Transport kittens. This includes, but is not limited to, picking up new rescue kittens and getting them to The Foster Kitten Project, and transporting them to and from medical appointments.


Time commitment: This is an on-call position. When the need arises, it will be posted on The Foster Kitten Project Volunteer Group on Facebook.