Everyone notices a
lost cat sign.
What if we used that attention to help lost people?
When you scan, you can donate to provide gift cards for neighbors experiencing desperation — turning empathy into action.
Our 2026 goal
Goal: 100 gift cards ($2,500) for neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Every $25 = one gift card.
Artists create
Local artists paint lost-pet-style signs that make everyone stop and look.
You scan
Each sign carries a QR code — scan it and donate securely in under a minute.
We buy cards
Donations purchase $25 gift cards for Kroger, Meijer, Speedway, and CVS.
Neighbors receive
Cards are handed directly to neighbors experiencing homelessness — with dignity.
The Process
How it works.
Three simple steps from art to impact.
Scan & Donate
Scan the QR code. Donate securely in under 60 seconds with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit card.
We Buy Gift Cards
Your donation helps us purchase and distribute $25 gift cards for groceries, gas, and essentials.
Direct Distribution
Gift cards are distributed with dignity to neighbors experiencing homelessness. People choose what they need, when they need it.
Why gift cards
A dignified approach to real help.
Dignity
People choose what they need — groceries, gas, hygiene products. Not what we think they need.
Safety
No cash handling. Secure digital donations. Traceable, transparent impact.
Practical
Kroger, Meijer, Speedway, CVS — stores people already use. Real needs, real solutions.
Direct
No middlemen. No overhead in our pilot phase. Your $25 becomes a $25 gift card. Simple.
The art
Local artists creating signs that start conversations.
Each Lost Cats sign is a unique piece of art created by local artists. The "lost cat (or dog)" aesthetic is universal — everyone stops, everyone looks. But these signs point to a different kind of lost: our neighbors experiencing desperation or homelessness.
Art has the power to make us pause, to make us feel, to make us act. That's what Lost Cats Collective is about — using creativity to channel empathy into tangible help.
Ready to help?
Your donation becomes a gift card in the hands of a neighbor experiencing homelessness.
Donate NowSecure donation via Stripe