We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Chen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.
Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. Looking back at the decisions you made early in your career, particularly whether to join a firm or start your own, do you feel you made the right choice for that stage of your career?
My full-time job is in Corporate Finance, with a focus on investment accounting, data analysis, and continuous process improvement.
Two years ago, a friend introduced me to a group of people involved in cat TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return), cat rescue, and feeding stray cats in Flushing, Queens. The group is primarily made up of retired Chinese women who love cats deeply. Every day, they feed the cats fresh dry food, canned food, and provide clean water.
I learned that they have been rescuing cats for over 10 years and have collectively spent more than $30,000 on rescue efforts—even though some of them are not financially well off and rely on financial aid. I was deeply moved by their love and dedication to the cats.
As a cat parent myself, I love my own cats, and I wanted to extend that love to other cats in need. I began helping the group by creating adoption application forms, conducting video call home checks, registering a Petfinder page, and researching spay and neuter resources.
Today, our volunteer pool includes 58 people—students, housewives, working professionals, and retirees. Volunteers primarily help by providing fresh food and clean water, scooping litter boxes, cleaning the cats’ living spaces, and, just as importantly, socializing cats and kittens so they can become friendlier and more comfortable around humans.
Jason, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Jason Chen. I currently work at an insurance company in Corporate Finance, with a focus on investment accounting, data analysis, and continuous process improvement.
Outside of my full-time job, I volunteer with a group of cat rescuers in Flushing, Queens. Together, we perform TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) in our neighborhood, rescue stray cats, and help them find their furever homes.
What I’m most proud of is knowing that the cats and kittens we’ve rescued are now living wonderful lives, cared for by their adoptive families. I feel a deep sense of joy every time an adoptive family sends me photos of the cats they adopted from us. Seeing how much the cats have grown and how happy the families are truly warms my heart.
Any advice for managing a team?
Clear two-way communication is key. With so many conversations, topics, and important pieces of information shared every day, it’s easy for something to be missed. Before taking any action or making decisions, everyone involved should engage in clear, two-way communication.
For example, simply sending a message in a volunteer group chat is not true two-way communication—it doesn’t guarantee that the message has been read, understood, or agreed upon by all stakeholders. In any important or urgent situation, a phone call or video call should be used to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Currently, we do not have any stable funding or consistent sources of income. Our net “income” mainly comes from adoption fees, which are often offset by expenses such as spay/neuter surgeries, medical treatments, and other rescue-related costs.
While we occasionally receive donations—both in the form of cat food and small cash contributions—they are still quite limited. Recently, one of our kittens needed urgent medical care, and the total cost came to nearly $4,000. Most of that expense was covered by our dedicated volunteers.
We did run a fundraiser on GoFundMe, which helped a bit, but it was not enough to fully cover the cost.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/ny/flushing/new-york-meow-sanctuary-ny1686/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nymeows?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Other: Email: [email protected] Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1CFHKJC22V28T?ref_=wl_share Rednotes: https://www.xiaohongshu.com/user/profile/64bea36100000000140395b0?xhsshare=CopyLink&appuid=64bea36100000000140395b0&apptime=1690232561
