03/19/2026
Have you ever sat down to write something so important that your hands were shaking? That is me right now. In 1998 SAFPAW was my dream that I made into reality and we have been growing ever since. I am proud of our accomplishments and the work we have done with your help.
When we bought our first sanctuary in 2016 I knew it was our first stop. In 2023 we moved into our second sanctuary and again, it has been where we needed to be but for a season, not forever. I’ve always wanted a true sanctuary. Larger living space with more room for our cat sanctuary and for a few more folks to live with us. And I’ve always wanted a couple of large animals, a donkey and perhaps a goat or pig.
A place where people can leave the city and come spend the day with us. Play with the animals, sit outside and read. Write a song. Work in our garden after we make that happen.
We are looking in Springfield. Our realtor, Mickey Duncan and her husband Blake Duncan are leading this process. I put my whole trust in them and I know that trust is safe.
Springfield is growing, slowly and more measured than Nashville. They have a Walmart but not a PetSmart. They don’t have a cat sanctuary. So to have a cat adoption sanctuary in a growing town where there are not so many rescues would be so good for our precious cats.
Now our presence in Nashville would remain. Our Meals Program would continue to grow. Our Christmas Toys Program (the Jason Brown Christmas program) will remain strong. So we are not leaving Nashville. Our sanctuary is relocating to where I always dreamed it could.
We visited a property today that left me in tears. A price that Nashville will never see again. Now we moved from our first sanctuary to our second paid for. And we have to do that again.
I’m going to tell you the amount we need to make this move happen and put us on solid financial ground so we can begin our growth in the country with confidence that this will be where we needed to be. Our foundation is the amount we will sell our current sanctuary for.
But we need to raise $200,000 to make this final move to the sanctuary I’ve had in my vision. I’ve made our sanctuary work since 2016. I’ve made SAFPAW work since 1998. We are on solid ground so when I tell you this will be what my vision has been moving towards, it will be.
$200,000. I know that is a lot of money. But we have a chance at a true sanctuary that gives cats, animals and people the chance they needed. You will see the power of your donation from the first day we move in.
You have my word. It is a vision I have worked towards since 2000. Our first sanctuary saw so many lives changed, animals and people. We have continued on and our work has grown.
Please email me if this is a vision you will support. If this is a dream you want to be a part of. But know we don’t just dream, we put dreams to work.
Laurie Green
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
safpawnashville@gmail.com
