The conversation was brief. She said she spent almost all of her time trying to escape. And when she did escape she spent all of her time trying to survive. And now that she has escaped and now that she has survived she said she works to move forward again. Her life is not comfortable or cozy by any means. She is living in a domestic violence safe house filled with several other women who share stories that remind her she is not alone.

But it is not a place to be comfortable. It is not a place to be content. It is a place to learn to breathe again. A temporary place to rest. To renew. To rebuild her life compass that has already taken her back to school and job training.

Her spirit tells me that she makes the world’s best lemonade from the lemons she has received. But her greatest joy clearly comes from her kitty. Her family. She said it twice just in case I did not understand what she meant. Her cat is her FAMILY. A tiny puffball that has been with her every step of the way.

Yet as much as things have improved, the fear and challenge is still there. Fear that is fresh because it is fear that she has lived. And a few days ago that fear reared its head when month-end expenses left her already tiny bank account at zero. She said she understood what that meant for her. But how was she supposed to tell her best friend that the food would run out on Thursday and there would be no more until Monday?

She called The Pongo Fund. Now they both have food. They are both safe. They are both well. They both have hope. And they both have Pongo.

Being there when a woman and her kitty need our help to fight the fear. Being there for them to help feed both the stomach and the soul.

Being there. Just being there. And this is why we Pongo.