By Jazmynn Hoffman

Introducing our new Volunteer Coordinator, Kelli Thompson! Kelli has been volunteering with Furry Friends for a little over a year, and initially started out as one of our kitten foster
parents. In that amount of time, Kelli and her husband, Josh McClellan, have fostered 8 different litters of kittens! You may have also seen them at the Halfway House, since Kelli and Josh have
recently been working as House Shift substitutes as well.

Kelli had always wanted to foster kittens after adopting her very first kitten over 10 years ago. Once she was in a place in her life where this was possible, she and Josh wasted no time
looking for cat rescues to foster for. “I goggled cat rescues in Vancouver, and Furry Friends was the first to come up. I applied that instant and never looked back, best decision ever!”
Like many of our fosters, Kelli has a lot of pride in being the absolute best foster mom for her kittens, but sometimes fostering can be challenging. “Each time we get a new litter I feel like
they will never like us and that I’m not a good enough foster mom to them. Then, in about 2 days, they are purring and cuddling, and everything is alright!” She recently fostered a small
group of kittens, Dallas, Two-Bit, and Steve, who started out as shy, reserved, and fearful kittens. Anyone who has been to our shelter recently knows just how affectionate and outgoing
these 3 brothers are now! This is all because of Kelli & Josh’s amazing fostering skills! In fact, she says her proudest moment volunteering was when she was able to establish trust with
Dallas, Two-Bit, and Steve, in order to socialize them in preparation for adoption. With lots of patience, cat treats, and love, Kelli was able to get these boys to where they are now. Great job,
Kelli!

Before taking on the role as Volunteer Coordinator, Kelli spent between 20-40 hours a week volunteering for Furry Friends, through fostering and working at the Halfway House. She
says her favorite part of volunteering is, of course, the cats! “The effect we have on cats in need is amazing, and truly life changing for them. We advocate for those that cant advocate for
themselves. I love seeing the difference from beginning to the happy ending!”

Kelli & Josh have one kitty of their own, an 8-year-old dilute calico who they call Xena! They are also the parents of a 3-year-old golden retriever/poodle mix named Remi. One fact
about Kelli is that she has always been a cat lover! So much so, that in her senior year, she was voted, “Most Likely to Own 1,000 Cats”! Along with her love for animals, Kelli also enjoys
organic gardening, listening to audio books, playing a game called Catan, and cooking! She is also an advocate for keeping cats indoors, and spreads awareness on the dangers of having
outdoor kitties.

When she isn’t volunteering at Furry Friends, Kelli volunteers with an organization called Great Life Mentoring, where she is a mentor for youth facing adversity. That’s not all though,
Kelli also volunteers for a program called Adopt one Block, as well as with the City of Vancouver, where she picks up litter and helps keep our community clean! She is very busy as she also works as a Team Lead for a large tech company here in Vancouver.

Kelli would like to say thank you to everyone who volunteers at Furry Friends. “Everything runs so smoothly with the great volunteers we have. I am here to support y’all and I
cannot wait to meet each and every one of y’all!” Kelli plans to stop into the Halfway House as often as she can to meet everyone, and is excited for her new position! Thank you Kelli for all
you have done – and continue to do – for our community!