News & Events
Keep up with the latest happenings at HART.
Learn about all the exciting news & events below.
Learn about all the exciting news & events below.
Goodwill Drive Benefiting HART!
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Events at HART
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HART is hosting a GOODWILL Drive on April 11th & 12th from 10:00 - 3:30.
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Shelter News
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February was a month filled with love at HART, as 12 lucky felines found their purr-fect matches! Five kittens, three adults, and four senior sweethearts were swept off their paws and into their fur-ever homes.
Among these adoptions, we are overjoyed to share that, after facing challenges with illness and homes that were not quite the right fit, Furrari and Porscha finally found their true love—a family that adores them. Anthony also found his special someone, proving that patience leads to the best kind of happily ever after. Among our adult adoptees, JoJo and Jasper landed in warm and loving homes, while senior sweethearts Ziggy, Cinnamon, and Pepper found families to cherish them in their golden years.
Perhaps the most heartwarming stories of the month belong to Lulu and Tito. Lulu, a once semi-feral mama, had been slowly blossoming in a foster home. When she returned to HART to find an adopter, the change was overwhelming, and she regressed into fear and hiding. But love won in the end—her foster couldn't bear to see her struggle and made their bond official. Now, Lulu is back where she belongs, feeling safe and adored.
Tito arrived at HART with a painful eyelid condition and a mouth in need of dental care. Tito got the love, support, and surgery he needed, and healed beautifully. On the very last day of February, he set off for his new home—healthy, happy, and ready to be cherished.
We are thrilled for all our adopted kitties and wish them a lifetime of love and happiness in their new homes! 💕🐾
Among these adoptions, we are overjoyed to share that, after facing challenges with illness and homes that were not quite the right fit, Furrari and Porscha finally found their true love—a family that adores them. Anthony also found his special someone, proving that patience leads to the best kind of happily ever after. Among our adult adoptees, JoJo and Jasper landed in warm and loving homes, while senior sweethearts Ziggy, Cinnamon, and Pepper found families to cherish them in their golden years.
Perhaps the most heartwarming stories of the month belong to Lulu and Tito. Lulu, a once semi-feral mama, had been slowly blossoming in a foster home. When she returned to HART to find an adopter, the change was overwhelming, and she regressed into fear and hiding. But love won in the end—her foster couldn't bear to see her struggle and made their bond official. Now, Lulu is back where she belongs, feeling safe and adored.
Tito arrived at HART with a painful eyelid condition and a mouth in need of dental care. Tito got the love, support, and surgery he needed, and healed beautifully. On the very last day of February, he set off for his new home—healthy, happy, and ready to be cherished.
We are thrilled for all our adopted kitties and wish them a lifetime of love and happiness in their new homes! 💕🐾
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We are beyond grateful for the support HART received from our local business community in 2024! These businesses have given so much to help us save cats, and we encourage our followers to support the businesses that support HART—whether it’s shopping, dining, or using their services, let’s return the love!
- Thank you to the 20 businesses that host HART donation jars—every penny helps save lives and spreads awareness about our mission.
- A heartfelt thank you to the 40+ businesses that donated funds, food, drinks, sponsorships, silent auction items, and other items to support HART. Your generosity has made a huge impact!
- A special shoutout to Freddie’s Consignment Shop for their consignment program, which has raised hundreds of dollars for HART’s cats and kittens.
- Thank you to Jill Knight & Rina Kelly for sharing their musical talents at our Harmony Café event!
- We’re also incredibly grateful to Edina Szabo from Keller Williams Central Coast for organizing a successful cat food drive. Her time, effort, and generosity were very much appreciated.
Many of these amazing businesses are already stepping up again in 2025 for our SweetHART Dance on February 15th, and we’re thrilled to welcome new businesses like Stolo Vineyards, who have generously offered their support. We couldn’t be more thankful!
Want to support HART? If you own a business and would like to become a donor, event sponsor, or host a donation jar, please reach out to wendy@slohart.org.
From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for helping us save lives!
Want to support HART? If you own a business and would like to become a donor, event sponsor, or host a donation jar, please reach out to wendy@slohart.org.
From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for helping us save lives!
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In January, an unexpected guest decided to join the mix of HART's cats and kittens—a rather fluffy black-and-white "cat" no one had seen before. A curious little skunk had squeezed its way through the bars of one of the outdoor enclosures. Finding the sunny spot and calm feline company irresistible, the skunk nestled right in for a nap, snoozing peacefully alongside its new "friends."
Cathy, HART's Shelter Manager, strolled through the room to check on the cats. At first, everything seemed normal, but then she paused mid-step. "Wait a minute," she thought. "We don’t have a black-and-white cat in this room…" It took a few seconds for the realization to hit, and then Cathy’s face lit up with alarm and amusement. "Oh no, that’s not a cat!"
With some disbelief, chuckles, (and a lot of caution), the team sprang into action. One of HART’s recent adopters, a wildlife expert, was called to assist Heidi, HART's Medical Care Manager with the situation. But as they approached, the skunk blinked sleepily, clearly miffed at being awakened from his comfortable nap. He shuffled grumpily, as if saying, "Really? I was just getting comfortable." With patience and skill, the wildlife expert and Heidi guided the sleepy & disgruntled little guest back outside to its natural home.
Before waddling off, however, the skunk made sure to leave a pungent parting gift—a proper skunk farewell that lingered for hours. The cats, unbothered and mildly entertained, seemed to regard the entire event as the highlight of their day. Meanwhile, the staff vowed to tighten the bars on the catio—and stock up on air fresheners!
Cathy, HART's Shelter Manager, strolled through the room to check on the cats. At first, everything seemed normal, but then she paused mid-step. "Wait a minute," she thought. "We don’t have a black-and-white cat in this room…" It took a few seconds for the realization to hit, and then Cathy’s face lit up with alarm and amusement. "Oh no, that’s not a cat!"
With some disbelief, chuckles, (and a lot of caution), the team sprang into action. One of HART’s recent adopters, a wildlife expert, was called to assist Heidi, HART's Medical Care Manager with the situation. But as they approached, the skunk blinked sleepily, clearly miffed at being awakened from his comfortable nap. He shuffled grumpily, as if saying, "Really? I was just getting comfortable." With patience and skill, the wildlife expert and Heidi guided the sleepy & disgruntled little guest back outside to its natural home.
Before waddling off, however, the skunk made sure to leave a pungent parting gift—a proper skunk farewell that lingered for hours. The cats, unbothered and mildly entertained, seemed to regard the entire event as the highlight of their day. Meanwhile, the staff vowed to tighten the bars on the catio—and stock up on air fresheners!
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A Tribute to Susan Barghini (1946-2024)
Just before Christmas Day, we learned the sad news that Susan Barghini had passed away. As one of HART’s most stalwart supporters, Susan was a key advocate who ensured its survival after serious challenges around 2010 threatened its existence.
At that time, HART was housed at 1500 Main Street. The owner of the property decided to sell it, and financial discrepancies threatened HART’s status as a 501(c)(3) charitable entity. Susan and her husband, architect Gary Swauger (HART’s treasurer) put order in the financial records and identified a new location at 2638 Main Street, which had appeared on the market. Securing a mortgage seemed impossible until Susan was unexpectedly notified by Sacramento that a distant cousin, whom Susan didn’t know existed, had died without a will. The estate was being liquidated, and Susan was due to receive part of the proceeds. As Susan recounted later, the timing seemed providential: she donated all of the money to HART in order to obtain the mortgage, and the animals were moved to their new shelter in 2011. Susan had saved HART.
Susan was born in San Francisco in 1946, and worked in the Bay Area as a high school teacher until Gary and she married in 1975. They moved to Cambria the next year. Susan served as president of HART’s board of directors from 2006 to 2013. Next she led the Events Committee, which was (and is) responsible for conceiving and carrying out HART’s major fundraising events. From 2013-2020, when Covid-19 lockdowns interrupted social gatherings, she orchestrated the elaborate plans for Wines, Pines, and Felines. After the lockdowns were lifted, Susan ensured that one more chapter in WPF’s history would still be written in 2022, when the last WPF event was held at Cambria Pines Lodge.
Susan had a keen eye and enthusiasm for retailing. Leading a team of volunteers, she would transform HART’s gift shop at least four times a year with attractive seasonal decorations. She tirelessly gathered dozens of items that were sold in the shop to boost our revenues.
In addition to fostering cats and adopting from HART, Susan contributed to the newsletters, organized several years of stuffing envelopes for HART’s year-end appeal, sorted hundreds of items for the Goodwill drives, and recruited new volunteers and staff, including Evelyn Zanella to introduce protocols for adoptions and animal care. We join them in extending our condolences to Gary Swauger and saluting Susan’s extraordinary contribution to HART and our community.
Susan requested that no flowers or tributes be offered in her memory -- except for donations to her most cherished cause, the Homeless Animal Rescue Team.
At that time, HART was housed at 1500 Main Street. The owner of the property decided to sell it, and financial discrepancies threatened HART’s status as a 501(c)(3) charitable entity. Susan and her husband, architect Gary Swauger (HART’s treasurer) put order in the financial records and identified a new location at 2638 Main Street, which had appeared on the market. Securing a mortgage seemed impossible until Susan was unexpectedly notified by Sacramento that a distant cousin, whom Susan didn’t know existed, had died without a will. The estate was being liquidated, and Susan was due to receive part of the proceeds. As Susan recounted later, the timing seemed providential: she donated all of the money to HART in order to obtain the mortgage, and the animals were moved to their new shelter in 2011. Susan had saved HART.
Susan was born in San Francisco in 1946, and worked in the Bay Area as a high school teacher until Gary and she married in 1975. They moved to Cambria the next year. Susan served as president of HART’s board of directors from 2006 to 2013. Next she led the Events Committee, which was (and is) responsible for conceiving and carrying out HART’s major fundraising events. From 2013-2020, when Covid-19 lockdowns interrupted social gatherings, she orchestrated the elaborate plans for Wines, Pines, and Felines. After the lockdowns were lifted, Susan ensured that one more chapter in WPF’s history would still be written in 2022, when the last WPF event was held at Cambria Pines Lodge.
Susan had a keen eye and enthusiasm for retailing. Leading a team of volunteers, she would transform HART’s gift shop at least four times a year with attractive seasonal decorations. She tirelessly gathered dozens of items that were sold in the shop to boost our revenues.
In addition to fostering cats and adopting from HART, Susan contributed to the newsletters, organized several years of stuffing envelopes for HART’s year-end appeal, sorted hundreds of items for the Goodwill drives, and recruited new volunteers and staff, including Evelyn Zanella to introduce protocols for adoptions and animal care. We join them in extending our condolences to Gary Swauger and saluting Susan’s extraordinary contribution to HART and our community.
Susan requested that no flowers or tributes be offered in her memory -- except for donations to her most cherished cause, the Homeless Animal Rescue Team.
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Support HART at Freddie's
Thrift & Consignment!
Thrift & Consignment!
Got gently used items you're ready to part with? Bring them to Freddie's Thrift & Consignment at 816 Main Street in Cambria and donate them for a great cause! Just mention you'd like them sold on consignment for HART, and we'll receive a percentage of the proceeds. We appreciate your support!
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Thank you for Attending HART's Kitty Christmas Cafe'!
Hart's festive holiday event on the afternoon of December 21, was very well attended. There were three cat adoptions, steady retail sales and over $1k in donations were received that day. There was a beautiful and tasty cider and cocoa station, which folks thoroughly enjoyed. The treats brought in from Events Committee members were greatly appreciated. The Kitty Ditty HART Band performed to an appreciative crowd and a festive time was had by all!
A Huge Success!
Thank you for joining us at our 2nd Annual Robin's Fundraising Dinner in November, celebrating HART's 41st Anniversary! We're thrilled to share that this event raised significant funds for HART, made even more special by the generosity of the raffle winners, who donated their portions back to HART.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to Robin's Restaurant for hosting this event and creating such a beautiful, warm, and delicious experience. We also extend our gratitude to Among Friends for donating the lovely sea glass gifts. Your support means the world to us and helps us continue our mission. Thank you for being a part of this special evening!
A heartfelt THANK YOU to Robin's Restaurant for hosting this event and creating such a beautiful, warm, and delicious experience. We also extend our gratitude to Among Friends for donating the lovely sea glass gifts. Your support means the world to us and helps us continue our mission. Thank you for being a part of this special evening!
Thank you Neighbors!
Thank you our wonderful neighbors for "faving" HART's Nexdoor page during Nextdoor's Neighborhood Faves Contest. We are excited to be one of the winning businesses for the 2nd year in a row, and we are honored to be one of your "faves!" Having the status of "Neighborhood Fave" will increase our visibility in Cambria, which means increased visibility for our cats and kittens who need homes. If you haven't faved our Nexdoor page yet, we welcome you to do so HERE. Thank you neighbors - we appreciate YOU!
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Take a Peek at
HART's Gift Shop!
The Gift Shop has been updated with adorable winter merchandise. Take a peek at some of the new items we have out.
All proceeds from the Gift Shop support our Cats & Kittens.
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Thanks for your Donations!
HART's Annual Fall Goodwill Drive was an incredible success, thanks to our amazing Cambria neighbors and dedicated supporters from all across SLO County! Your generosity in donating new or gently used treasures helped us fill the trailers to the brim, raising an impressive $800 to support our mission at HART. Every item donated and every dollar raised makes a difference for the cats in our care.
Feeling inspired? Start your spring cleaning early, and stay tuned for the announcement of our Spring Goodwill Drive date. Together, we can make the next drive even more impactful—thank you for being part of our journey! 🐾💛
October Display: Our Adorable Scarekitty!
In October, we showcased our adorable scarekitty, lovingly created by HART Volunteers, just in time for the annual Scarecrow Festival! This cool cat is made from recycled materials. Kitty’s fur is made from our empty kitty litter bags, the eyes are cat food cans, the whiskers are recycled packaging straps, the ribbon came from an old stash and even the plywood is recycled scraps. Isn't she adorable?
Pinedorado
Pinedorado Weekend in Cambria was a great time! 🌲🐴🤠 HART had fun creating our Pinedorado Parade entry and we wanted to share it with you, along with some other highlights of the parade. There were approximately 60 wonderful participants in the parade, so this is only a few. We hope you enjoy! 😺 HART Volunteers helped out all weekend at the Pinedorado Grounds serving up yummy corn. 🌽 For more info about Pinedorado, visit: https://www.cambrialions.org
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Thank You for Supporting HART with Dinner at Harmony Cafe' and Music by Jill Knight!
It was a huge success! The four-course dinner, fundraising event, on the evening of Saturday June 22nd, was a lovely evening that raised over $2,100 for HART's cats and kittens!
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Get Involved at HART
Contact HART to volunteer to feed, medicate or clean.
Foster a current shelter resident or let us know you are available to foster new intakes, including cats and kittens.
Share photos of our cats on social media and let your friends and family know about adoptable cats.
Donate to HART's general fund, which help keep our doors open.
Donate essential items, like cat food and litter, from our Amazon wishlist.
For additional ways to help, please click here. Thank you for your support!
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