NOLA Girl Charitable Giving is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to raise money for animal rescue in South Louisiana. We also strive to educate and raise awareness for animal rescue efforts. Animals can’t speak for themselves. They need us to speak up for them.
NOLA Girl Charitable Giving began in 2018 with a small group of volunteers who wanted to raise money for animal rescue in South Louisiana. We began by organizing a 5k walk/run in Audubon Park in New Orleans, LA. The NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue was born. We raised $4925 the first year. Each year our 5k has gotten bigger and better. We just completed the 2025 NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue. To date, we have supported 6 animal rescue groups and have donated $220,000.
There are many worthy animal rescue organizations out there doing the hard work. It is a difficult job. Rescuers witness the worst cases of neglect and abandonment yet continue because every animal deserves a chance. It’s not glamorous work — it’s muddy, loud, messy, and full of heartbreak — but it’s also full of hope. The best way to help by becoming part of the solution: adopt don’t shop; spay and neuter, foster when you can, and show compassion within your own community. Above all, education on the benefits of spay and neuter is essential to breaking the cycle.
In New Orleans, about half of the residents have pets. In some neighborhoods, more than half the families live below the poverty line. They love their animals just like anyone else but here in the heartworm capital of the country, up to 80% of shelter-intake dogs test positive for heartworm disease. In these same neighborhoods, basic vet care can be out of reach. That’s one way an easily solvable problem to some, turns into heartbreak for others, and too often a pet ends up in a shelter.
One of the organizations we support started with one simple, stubborn goal: Keep pets healthy, in their homes, and out of shelters. They are the prevention. They bring affordable care, training, resources, and education directly into neighborhoods with the highest shelter intake, working hard to solve problems before they start. They use the funds they receive from the NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue to provide access to care that is out of reach to at risk pet owners.
Every day the local rescues see the animals left behind. A dog tied to a pole, a cat left in a carrier and the pet whose family has fallen on hard times. When no one else shows up, the rescues do. Every dollar saves lives. Your support today funds emergency vet care, spay and neuter surgeries, heartworm treatment, vaccines, food and shelter and through shelter diversion programs, rescues help families keep their pets out of overcrowded shelters by providing care, resources and short term help when life gets tough. IT TAKES ALL OF US. Animal rescue can’t do it alone. We need more hands, more hearts, more voices – volunteers, fosters, advocates, donors. From walking dogs to pushing for better animal protection laws, every effort matters. Be part of the change. When a rescue saves an animal, they heal more than one life. We build a kinder community — one tail wag, one purr, one reunion at a time. Your involvement keeps hope alive — and keeps New Orleans the compassionate, resilient city we all love. Adopt. Foster. Volunteer. Advocate. Donate. Share. Every small act makes a big difference.
These rescue organizations receive no government funding and do amazing work. They need your help and every single dollar makes a difference. To donate, click on the donate button on the left.
Thanks for supporting this important cause and we hope you’ll become more involved!
With much gratitude,
JoAnne Casey, Founder
NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue