JACKSON TWP. Melanie Bowles has a drive to help others.
Bowles, 29, of Jackson Township, fosters dogs for FREEdom Tails Ohio, a nonprofit rescue created to save animals from breeding situations, including puppy mills.
She has been involved with the organization for about three years and dove head-first into volunteering.
"It was almost instantly when we received our first foster, I realized how passionate I was about it," she said.
She hasn't stopped at fostering. She's also active behind the scenes — answering the rescue's emails, onboarding other foster parents and processing applications. In many ways, it's a job, just without vacation days, sick time or a paycheck.