"The colors of your first impression paint the canvas others hold."…read more I've been aware of NAWS for years, but I've never had the privilege of visiting the shelter. I recently took in a stray cat and her three kittens. After keeping them for a month, I surrendered the adult cat (Willow, aka Mama) to NAWS. Regrettably, her babies went to Catnap From the Heart in LaGrange. IF I knew then what I know now, I would have taken the kittens to NAWS as well. I had a contact who knew Delonda (NAWS board member), so she arranged for Willow to be taken in by NAWS. Anyway, I dropped Willow (aka Mama) off on Sunday afternoon. There was a moderate wait, but Franny was gracious and friendly with all of us. She took the time to take my information and ask about Willow's preferences and personality. She also asked what type of home I thought might be suitable for Willow. (Catnap didn't do that, nor did they even seem interested in what might be best for the kittens I surrendered.) She also inquired about her medical history and her backstory. Having just come from Catnap, I was surprised (and happy) that the staff at NAWS took the time to note so many details. Franny asked us to wait around while Willow's cage was cleaned, so we took that time to calm her and try to make her more comfortable. Someone standing at the counter also asked why Catnap didn't take Willow since they took her kittens, and we said it was due to her having a history of biting. This person rolled their eyes and kinda smirked, which confirmed all the uneasy feelings I had when I visited there. Finally, it was time for them to take Willow to the back, and we said our goodbyes. My sister and I were in tears... we've never fostered before (this was on our dime, not through any organization), so the entire experience was new to us. We've had cats all our lives, but we had them from kittenhood through adulthood. We were raised that pets are a lifetime commitment, so we keep our pets for their entire lives. Giving up Willow (and the kittens) was heartbreaking. When Franny took Willow to the back, we couldn't hold back our tears. Kim was standing near the counter, and I asked her what would happen to Willow. She said Willow would undergo a medical assessment before being put on the adoption floor. If she was stressed at the shelter, then they would look for a foster for her. Kim was so sweet... She tried to console us by saying she knew how hard surrendering Willow must have been and that she would be okay. She said that we could call to check on Willow or come visit her anytime. Kim and Franny were wonderful. They were both friendly, helpful, and compassionate. The entire experience was positive and reassuring. I could sense that I was leaving Willow in good hands. That's not at all what I felt when I left Willow's litter at Catnap from the Heart. A few days later, I stopped by the shelter to pay Willow's adoption fee for her future owner whenever she's lucky enough to find her forever family. She's really a sweet and loving cat once she warms up to a person, so I'm hopeful that someone will see past her somewhat gruff exterior and give her a loving home. I also donated some paper towels and trash bags. The staff and volunteers were gracious and wonderful once again. They allowed me to visit Willow, and she stopped hissing long enough to allow me to pet her briefly. I believe she recognized my scent because she sniffed me and then laid down so I could touch her. They told me she'd be moved to the "angry bird" section of the shelter, where a group of dedicated volunteers would work with her before she's put on the adoption floor. I honestly can't say enough about the staff and volunteers at NAWS. It truly pains me that Willow's kittens didn't go with their mom because I genuinely feel as though they are suffering because of it. Catnap From the Heart pales in comparison to NAWS, and it's painfully obvious if you visit both shelters. Mokena/Frankfort residents are lucky to have such dedicated people looking after the homeless animals in the area.

I've been interacting with NAWS for about 4 months. What a great organization. The people involved…read moreabsolutely love animals and want the want the best for every one of them. I've seen them find fosters from out of the blue. I have seen them rearrange schedules to get a kitten taken care of. I have seen them making sure that it is a proper fit between animals and adopter. what's even better is that they have their own vets on staff and those vets are open to the public often at reasonable rates. I also know that they are very, very cautious with the donations that are desperately needed from the general public.

I was there recently. They only had a few cats. This made it difficult for me to find the cat I…read morewanted.

I'm disappointed with my experience trying to adopt through PAWS…read more I first visited the shelter to meet Neptune, but he was being housed in the stray section rather than the adoptable area because there was no available space. I was told that if I wanted to meet him, I needed to submit an adoption application and schedule an appointment. I submitted my application on June 6 and did everything I was asked to do. Since then, I have called PAWS at least twice a week and sent multiple follow-up emails asking for an update on my application and whether I could schedule a visit with Neptune. I also reached out about two other cats but never received a response regarding them either. I completely understand that PAWS is short-staffed, and I truly appreciate the work they do for the animals. However, communication with prospective adopters is just as important. Even a quick email saying that my application was still being reviewed, that there was a waitlist, or that another adopter was ahead of me would have been appreciated. Instead, after nearly a month of waiting and repeatedly trying to get in touch, on July 2 I finally received a very short email simply stating that Neptune had been adopted. While I'm genuinely happy that he found a home, it was extremely disappointing to spend weeks trying to communicate with no meaningful updates, only to receive a one-line email at the end. Also, I dont understand not trying to maintain a good communication and just keep the adoptees in the loop, it is actually frustrating when there is nothing i could do rather than emailing and calling them, it just is not fair. ( I am saying this based on all the previous google/yelp) reviews i have had, it does seem like this is an recurring problem and there has been nothing done to solve this, just seems suspicious at last. I hope PAWS can improve its communication with prospective adopters. Many people are genuinely trying to provide loving homes for these animals, and applicants deserve timely updates, even if the answer is simply that a cat has already been adopted or that there is a waitlist. Better communication would make the adoption experience much more respectful and transparent for everyone involved.

I recently stopped here to shop around for a few things while I was in the area. The store had a…read moreplethora of used items though it was lacking in coats that I was really trying to find. They had all the Christmas decor of and they already sent all their Halloween stuff to the landfill. Prices here were above average, they had a fair amount of dressing rooms. Store was moderately clean. The store was pretty packed too with people looking for a head start on Christmas decorations. Overall, I thought it was an okay store but was not surprised with the lack of selection.

Poor management. In…read moreaddition workers should be wearing gloves while sorting donations. That should be an OHSA issue.

0/10 - Bingo is rigged…read more We played probably over five rounds of bingo and I didn't win once Would not recommend bingo it's very hard

LOVE having this place in the community. State of the art…read morefacility, amazing programs, and stellar staff. I get to volunteer here sometimes and it's a great place to serve the community in a really tangible way. Highly recommend if you have a student in the eligible age range or if you're looking to volunteer somewhere meaningful.

Would hire again for sure. Prompt response, easy to schedule, on time and tech Colton was super…read morefriendly and very thorough. High recommend.

I called to get information and a quote but was turned off by the non-professional person answering…read morethe phones. I thought I woke the person! Initially, I could not hear or understand her. When I indicated that I could not hear her, she seemed to sit up and place the phone closer to her mouth. Then when I indicated I could not understand her, she seemed to wake up and began to clearly enounceate her words. The quote given was surprisingly the highest of the five companies I had already contacted. I was unimpressed and turned off.