Murphy Levesque is a high school senior in Connecticut. She was a co-founder Hidden gem of animal rescue in 2020, when she was 11 years old.
It started with a one-eyed cat named One-Eye in the barn where Murphy took riding lessons. One-Eye was two years old, had lost an eye and was in her third litter.
Murphy and her riding trainer, Logan, captured the kittens, provided them with veterinary care and found homes for them all.
That was the spark. They continued.
Today, Hidden Gem Animal Rescue is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization operating throughout Connecticut and the Northeast, rescuing dogs and cats, serving a foster family network, and taking cases from Texas and North Carolina.
Since Murphy began working with WordPress.com about three years ago, the rescue has helped over 100 animals, roughly doubling its previous pace.
What the website changed
Before the website, Hidden Gem had a presence on Instagram and Facebook, but didn’t have a central location to send people to. Your websitedeveloped by the Automattic Special Projects team and hosted on WordPress.com changed that.
I honestly don’t know what my website would look like without you. It just looks so incredible.
Anyone who sees a post and would like to find out more can follow the link, understand how the rescue works and take action directly on site. Whether you want to apply for a foster home, fill out an adoption application or make a donation.
It has really become easier for people. And it’s always better when it’s easier for people because they’re more likely to take the time to watch it.
Donations in particular became smoother. The site added a proper donation platform alongside Venmo, giving supporters more ways to donate and making the rescue look more like the legitimate organization it has become.
The website makes it look more professional. And people can look at all the cute animals and think, Oh, that’s something I want to donate to.
It went really smoothly. I’ve been able to really figure it out and make the updates I want to make.
Murphy also used Blaze Ads to advertise the available animals, driving a new wave of traffic and visibility for the rescue.
What’s next for Hidden Gem Animal Rescue?
Murphy is already thinking about what’s next for the rescue.
The goal is to find a physical location, continue to expand the rescue’s profile and systems, and make the entire experience easier for everyone involved – volunteers, fosters and adopters.
The website will be the focus.
It is gaining traction and allowing people to interact with us. It really helps us build our image.
Your story deserves a home too
Murphy runs a nonprofit, manages social media and updates a website while finishing high school.
WordPress.com gave her a professional platform to grow into, with the tools to manage it as the project developed.
Whether you’re just starting out or ready to take it to the next level, WordPress.com has everything you need to build a website that works as hard as you.
