Scout Nicholas D. comes from a family that has three cats, and he loves animals. So when it came time to work on his Eagle Scout project, he knew he wanted to find something that would help animals, especially cats, in his community.

The Jersey Journal shared the story of his Eagle Scout project.

After asking around and talking to a local animal shelter, he discovered that his city, like many others, had an issue with feral cats. And unfortunately, the local animal shelter lacked the facilities to house the cats in their own individual spaces.

Nicholas realized this would be a good opportunity to work with the animal shelter and provide them with individual cat shelters. His project involved a fundraiser that helped bring initial awareness to the feral cat issue.

“I adore animals in every shape and form. I’m a very big cat lover,” said Nicholas. “When I read the newspaper and stumbled across an article on cat houses, everything fell into place.”

Once the money was raised, he began work on constructing 30 cat shelters that would help the cats to feel safe and secure at the animal shelter.

The shelters are being made out of 15-gallon containers. These containers will be insulated to provide warmth and comfort for the cats. Once complete, the shelters will be placed on wooden pallets at the animal shelter.

“Each shelter is built from a tote and is accessorized and insulated for the safety and comfort of the cats,” said Sheila Plotnick, a volunteer with Forgotten Tails, Inc. and Kearny Community Cats.

To see the whole story on Nicholas’ Eagle Scout project, be sure to read the full article in The Jersey Journal.

To see more information about how Eagle Scouts can make a positive impact on their communities, check out the Baylor University Study, “Eagle Scouts: Merit Beyond the Badge.”