Volunteer Spotlight: Alex "Cat Man" Carder

At Homeless to Home, we’re lucky to have volunteers who not only show up — but light up the whole place while they’re here. This week’s spotlight shines on Alex Carder, whose humor, kindness, and sheer dedication turned our Jingle Bells & Summer Sales Craft Festival into the joyful event that it was.

From the moment setup began, Alex was a powerhouse. Without his help, setup would have fallen to just two people — a daunting task for such a large event. Instead, Alex was there hauling, organizing, and helping check in vendors when they started arriving early (and in droves!). When announcements needed to be made, he grabbed the mic without hesitation, delivering them with humor — or shouting very, very loud when the speaker kept going out. And when an unfortunate vendor situation got a little too loud, Alex stepped right in — handling it with a calm, steady presence that kept the event on track.

Beyond his hard work, Alex brought an unmatched energy to the day. He made guests feel like they were the most important person in the room, spreading joy wherever he went. His Christmas cat shirt became an instant favorite, and when it came time for the Facebook Live raffle basket drawing, Alex’s lively hosting turned it into a highlight of the day. In fact, after his fantastic performance on camera, ideas have already been floated about recording an ad for The Woods with Alex front and center.

That same warmth and enthusiasm is at the heart of why Alex volunteers. He first connected with Homeless to Home during a rough patch in his life, when a friend introduced him to the rescue. That introduction led to the adoption of an “absolutely wonderful” boy named Buddy. Alex brought Buddy home a year ago when Buddy was nine years old — now, he’s a healthy 10-year-old ball of energy who somehow owns both Alex’s entire house and his life as well. Along the way, Alex has made friendships here that he knows will last for “many, many, many years to come.”

Alex’s willingness to pitch in doesn’t end with events at The Woods. He has helped with adoption events, done maintenance work around the rescue, and is always ready to jump in wherever he’s needed. As our Adoption Coordinator, Kim, puts it:

“Alex immediately won my heart the first day I met him. The words, ‘show me your saddest, oldest cat that hates it here’ are words too seldom spoken at a rescue. Fate brought Alex to Buddy. While not our oldest at 8, he was older and definitely not happy that the universe had landed him at HTH. Buddy was loud about it and let everyone know. A little too old, a little too skinny, and a lot too unhappy, meant he wasn't everyone's first choice. But to Alex — he had found a forever soul match! Since that day, Alex has made his way into all of our hearts. He is a constant and valued support to me on Saturdays at the rescue. He helps out at adoption events and takes great pictures of our cats and posts on social media to boost our reach in the community. He is a great friend, and I'm so happy he found his way to us.”

In total, Alex put in nearly 10 hours of work during the craft show — for nothing more than the promise of some blueberry muffins he never even got to eat. But the truth is, Alex’s impact can’t be measured in hours. It’s in the way he makes guests feel welcome, the way he steps up when help is needed most, and the joy and laughter he brings to every corner of the rescue. Homeless to Home is incredibly fortunate to count him as part of our family, and we look forward to many more events, projects, and—hopefully—those well-deserved muffins in his future.