Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw

11/19/2024

11/18/2024

One of our residents came to tell me that an older man was sitting on the porch with his dog. And that he was pretty cold. It was the first really bitter cold spell in that November and he was not dressed for it, having only a t-shirt on over his jeans.

I went outside to talk to him. And to love on the most adorable Dachshund I’ve ever met. I brought him a cup of coffee and a coat and asked him about what brought him to our porch. He said he was a veteran and that he had heard about us but wasn’t sure, not really, about why he was sitting on our porch.

But something had to be done. I will not hand a veteran over 70 and in a vulnerable frame of mind a tent and sleeping bag. So after a lunch and coffee I went down the road and got him a hotel room for the upcoming week. I persuaded him to let me board his faithful dog until we could get them housed together.

The next day I contacted a peer at the VA and we got to work. Meanwhile we made sure that he was okay at the hotel. We kept him housed there for 3 months. There were times he was angry at me because he was confused as to why his dog was not with him. And because he did not feel at home in a hotel room. But we managed to talk through each round of frustration.

And we finally found this curmudgeon of a veteran and his sweet dog an apartment in Clarksville. One he approved. Their moving day was absolute joy.

When you donate this is what you make happen. And it is a wonderful thing, seeing a veteran and his dog safely housed from our front porch to a hotel to their own apartment.

Laurie
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
safpaw.org
[email protected]

P. O. Box 23535
Nashville, TN 37202

11/12/2024

Rowdy, Shiloh and the cats of our SAFPAW sanctuary. They make our lives messy and fill us up with so much unconditional love and we are thankful during this season of thanks.

The pictures here range from the time we moved into our current sanctuary to several months back.

Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw

11/12/2024

Sweet Shiloh. She and Rowdy are our SAFPAW sanctuary dogs and they are my heart dogs. They love the cats and they love the people who live and volunteer there.

Shiloh can be difficult but only until she is sure that you love her. I am grateful for Goodlettsville Animal Hospital and Dr. Pelletier because not a lot of veterinary clinics would take on a 80 pound dog who is so untrusting of any human she does not know.

She has had a stubborn skin infection on her front legs that we have treated with multiple rounds of antibiotics with no success, but examining Shiloh is not easy. So we put her under anesthesia in order to get a complete exam along with biopsy. We will get this cleared up because of all of our responsibilities, the care of the animals at our sanctuary is priority. They all had a difficult past before they came to us. So what matters now is that their past no longer follows them.

When I brought Shiloh home she stumbled her way to her Rowdy. I’ve never seen 2 dogs so bonded in all my life. They have been together since 2017 and that is what our SAFPAW sanctuary is all about. We are a family and we see each other through whatever comes.

Laurie
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
P. O. Box 23535
Nashville, TN 37202
[email protected]
safpaw.org

11/11/2024

YOU ALL CAME THROUGH!
Princess is going in for the tests she needs so we can get this sweet dog back feeling her best again. THANK YOU!

UPDATE: We are still $300 away from the goal we need of $600. PLEASE give. Not just for Princess but for all of the animals and their humans who call on us for help. Sometimes their very life depends on if we answer.

This little girl is Princess. She is a 7 year old Yorkie who is very much loved. Her mom is struggling with being unhoused right now and Princess is very sick. We need to raise $600 to do x-rays, senior blood panel, f***l, deworm and when she is better we need to spay and vaccinate her.

The spay and vaccines will, of course, wait. We have to get her better first.

Now helping animals out when their humans are struggling is something we do every day. But that has taken a toll on our finances and that is not good for the animals and people we serve.

Please give. I mean we hear of animals that need help due to the circumstances of their humans and SAFPAW helps so many. Now is your chance to make a difference. We need you and the animals surely need you.

You can donate directly to Goodlettsville Animal Hospital for SAFPAW by calling 615-859-1277.

Or you can donate online at safpaw.org

You can also send donations by snail mail to:
SAFPAW
P. O. Box 23535
Nashville, TN 37202

Many thanks,
Laurie, founder and ED

10/29/2024

10/28/2024

Peace to all troubled souls, dear God, to all the seekers lost on the road to salvation, to the lonely ones sitting beside empty windows, to the parents without any children, the workers without work. Peace to them all, I pray, and peace to so many more who find this life too hard, the unfair illness, the sudden grief. Take my share of serenity for these friends I will never know. Their need is greater than mine. Give them your blessing. Give them your peace. Give them what I would give had I but arms wide enough to reach around this night.

~ Rt Rev Steven Charleston

May your week show you peace.

Laurie
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
[email protected]

10/28/2024

I am filled with gratitude for the Nashville Concerto Orchestra, Dave Sartor, conductor. We were invited by Roger Wiesmeyer to be the recipient of the love offering for their concert this past Saturday.

This is our second concert as their guest nonprofit and it has become an event that fills our hearts. This musical event fills me with such joy and peace, I can’t even begin to describe. The musicians are unbelievably talented. The church sanctuary of Trinity Presbyterian Church is perfect for this concert. I sat in the pew and watched as the sun streamed through the stained glass window. The trees had their fall leaves on and I watched as the wind blew the branches back and forth. And I honestly could have sat there and listened to this concert long into the evening.

We are grateful to everyone who attended and left their love offerings. I met some amazing people and I hope our conversations extend into future collaborations.

And thank you, Roger. You are a most wonderful friend I am abundantly thankful for your presence in my life.

Laurie, founder
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
[email protected]

10/26/2024

We are now asking for donations for our Cold Weather Outreach for our neighbors who are not housed. With your partnership and donations we can get people through the cold weather temps that are dangerous to their very survival.

1. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-10-000-BTU-Portable-Propane-Heater/2070735274?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1102&from=/search

2. https://www.walmart.com/ip/LITTLE-BUDDY-HEATER/618129848?classType=REGULAR&from=/search

3. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-All-Purpose-Propane-Gas-Cylinder-16-ounce-2-Pack/20971271?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1200&from=/search

In addition we need:
4. Tents, preferably 4 person size tents. Also large, heavy tarps. These help to insulate the tents.

5. Sleeping bags, preferably ones designed for cold weather.

6. Dry dog and cat food, 12-16 pound bags. Purina brand preferred, please.

7. All day bus passes

Please text our resource line at 615-474-8390 and we will gladly pick up donations. In addition you can make online & monthly donations at our website, safpaw.org

SAFPAW is currently very low on funds to get through the winter months. Donations are needed for food boxes to help people and families dealing with hunger. Donations are also needed for our Pet Food Pantry.

Bringing you the needs of poverty is not pretty. There is no glittering lights that glow with the holidays here but we cannot apologize for that. Because on the road to housing we have to keep folks alive and we have to give hope.

Laurie, founder
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
[email protected]
safpaw.org

Buy Ozark Trail 10,000 BTU Portable Propane Heater - New at Walmart.com

10/25/2024

I need to make sure my row is full so I hope to see you at this concert! 🎼❤️

Very excited about the next Nashville Concerto Orchestra concert!

THIS Saturday October 26th at 3pm! This event will be held at the beautiful Trinity Presbyterian Church, located at 3201 Hillsboro Pike. There is plenty of free parking but do get there early!

Denise Baker and Dave Sartor will present the Beethoven Violin Concerto.
Justin Lo and Alex Bolton will premiere Justin's Violin sonata.

This gracious event is organized by Roger Wiesmeyer and the love offering will benefit the important work SAFPAW.ORG does in our community.

Please come and bring your friends! I’d love for you to join us for an afternoon of music that will leave you filleSouthern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpawan to have you join us!

Laurie Green, founder
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
[email protected]

Southern Alliance for People and Animal Welfare SAFPAW Learn More

10/17/2024

Your neighbors need you! And SAFPAW wants you to join us, please.

This Saturday we will be handing out lunch meals to our neighbors in the Madison and Rivergate areas. But we need sandwiches!

We need volunteers to make full sandwiches, wrapped and ready to go in the lunch sacks with everything else we put in there. All we need is sandwiches, SAFPAW supplies everything else.

I know that it is sometimes hard to wrap our head around but too many of our neighbors go without enough to eat. So if we can help by delivering weekly lunch meals then we seek to do so. But we need you!

For this coming Saturday (10/19) we need 150 sandwiches. Please feel free to text our resource number and we can give you all the details!

SAFPAW resource line is 615-474-8390.

Thank you! And please share this post!

Oh! And donations of Purina dry dog & cat food are also critical.

Laurie
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
[email protected]
615-474-8390 (resource line, please text)

10/14/2024

There is something anyone can do that would be a true blessing to anyone you meet who may be unhoused. They are commonly called “blessing bags” and they truly are blessings. Below are some wonderful ideas on what to put in them.

1. Bottle of water
2. Juice pouch
3. String cheese
4. Tuna pouch
5. Fruit cup
6. Multi grain soft fruit bar
7. All day bus pass
8. $5 dollar bill
9. Pair of new socks
10. Gift certificate to a thrift store
11. Packs of “warm hands” & “warm feet”
12. $20-25 gift certificate for fast food

These bags truly have the ability to brighten someone’s day. As it gets colder you can add gloves or a stocking cap.

And if your church or civic group would like to put some together but you can’t pass out we would be happy to pass out on the Saturdays that we hand out lunch meals. Just text me on our SAFPAW resource line and we can make a plan!

Laurie Green
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
615-474-8390 (our resource line, please text)

P. O. Box 23535
Nashville, TN 37202
[email protected]