WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. -- A longtime teacher is trading in her chalk for dog leashes as she transitions to a new career.

Kathi Jackson, who has dedicated her life to helping dogs in needs, is this week's Everyday Hero.

There were lots of happy faces on volunteers and their charges on a recent visit to Weeki Wachee in Hernando County.

Jackson, who taught third grade for more than 20 years, one day agreed to foster care for a little dog named Mitzi -- just for a while.

It turns out she was, as she puts it, a foster failure. She fell in love with the dog and kept it.

Later on, she had an idea.

"With the encouragement of friends and other rescue groups, I decided to take early retirement, cashed in my 401(k) and completely changed my home into a shelter," Jackson said.

Kathi's K-9 Dog Rescue and Adoptions mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and find permanent homes for dogs and puppies from owner surrenders as well as from numerous animal services in Florida.

"We are 501(c)3 non profit," she said. "We don't get any money from the government or anything like that. We rely solely on donations."

Annual expenses can exceed $12,000.

Along with her website, Facebook, blog and more, Jackson posts videos on YouTube of rescues and dogs waiting for a home.

One of her big wishes is for someone to purchase and donate land around her property so she can expand the size of the rescue.

All of her dogs here are treated with TLC.

"All the dogs in my rescue are spade, neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, dewormed, given flea, tick, and heartworm prevention prior to the adoptions," Jackson said.

In the past seven years, more than 500 dogs have found homes.

And she is always on the lookout for loving homes.

"If I could have more foster homes we could do so much more work," Jackson said.