Another friend of mine from a fellow rescue reached out to me about a group of stray dogs living in a particularly dangerous area near Almeda, West Bellfort, and South Post Oak. The streets there are unforgiving: high traffic, little shelter, and dogs everywhere, struggling to survive.

She had posted on Nextdoor and Facebook asking if anyone could help feed the dogs. She told me she would be in Third Ward that weekend feeding other animals and couldn’t make it out there herself.

I said yes.

I loaded up my kids and we drove out together. My kids groaned a little, asking if we really had to go again. I told them it wouldn’t take long. We were just going to feed a few dogs.

But when we arrived, everything changed.

There were three dogs waiting for us. We later named them Clyde, Chloe, and Jules, our Three Musketeers. They were bonded, loyal to one another, and surviving together against impossible odds.

That day, Clyde was sitting quietly beneath a willow tree.

In that moment, it became clear that this wasn’t just another feeding run. It was a turning point. Those three dogs, and that willow tree, became the reason we chose to do more, to build something lasting.

Waiting Under the Willow Foundation was born from that moment to help the dogs who are forgotten, overlooked, and left waiting in the hardest places. We exist to show up when no one else can, to feed, protect, rescue, and advocate for animals who have no voice.

Because no dog should be left waiting under a tree, hoping someone comes back.