Volunteer Spotlight: Khadeja

In many ways, Khadeja (she/her) is your typical college student. A junior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY, she can often be found in class, studying for the LSAT, or watching her favorite shows: The Office or Gilmore Girls. Plus, she really loves pizza! But Khadeja also spends time each week volunteering for PAWS NY, where she helps care for several pets in Manhattan.

Khadeja signed up to become a PAWS NY volunteer in May 2022, after reading about PAWS NY in an article about loneliness during the pandemic. She loves animals, but can’t have any in her apartment, and she has been volunteering with the organization since that time.

“I’ve always loved caring for animals, and I knew PAWS NY would be a great place to volunteer, where I could contribute to the community and their furry friends,” Khadeja said. “There are many resources to assist the elderly, but there aren’t many that will tend to their pets also. Pets are great companions, and it is important that they are cared for just the same.”

As a volunteer, Khadeja helps care for two cats named Barnum and Bailey, as well as a Rat Terrier named Bruno. She’ll take Bruno out for walks along the Hudson River and help clean and refill the litterbox for the two cats.

“I remember my first day volunteering with PAWS; I was both excited and nervous,” Khadeja said. “I remember vividly how excited Bruno was on our first day meeting each other: his tail was wagging, and he jumped up to meet me. Immediately all my nerves went away, and I knew it was a great match!”

Plus, she added, it’s been a great experience to get to know the human clients as well. Bruno and his guardian John are always so welcoming when she picks up Bruno for his walks. And after cleaning the litterbox for Barnum and Bailey, “I have fun chats with Carol while we watch the kitties chase each other.”

Khadeja has enjoyed seeing PAWS NY continue to grow and change as we emerged from the pandemic and one of her favorite memories was the Volunteer Holiday Party in December 2022—the first time we hosted something in person since 2019.

“All the volunteers got together and made gift baggies for our clients and their pets. It was an amazing night filled with fun and laughter,” she said. “What was also special about that night was the commitment we had to curating the perfect gifts to bring some joy to our clients.”

Thanks to Khadeja for her commitment as a PAWS NY volunteer and for bringing joy to Bruno and John, and Barnum, Bailey, and Carol each week!

Khadeja’s Volunteer Spotlight was included in the PAWS NY Annual Report for FY 2023. Click here to download the read the full Annual Report [PDF].