Pet Food Pantry
Volunteer Needed: Would you like to volunteer to pick up pet food from the bins and deliver to Footprints? (York already has a volunteer.) Email nanef@comcast.net
Local Food Pantries, Businesses and Volunteers
Help Pets and Families Stay Together
Modern families come in many configurations. Families used to be Mom and Dad and the kids – maybe a grandparent or two, and sometimes the family dog, cat or other pet. But families come in all shapes and sizes. Families can be just one person or two and a pet or pets. And no matter what configuration, pets are often treated as important members of the family.
A pet can help keep us exercising. A pet can help reduce stress. Caring for a pet can help us feel like a caring valued person. A pet is often there with affection, no matter how unhappy we are or difficult our lives may be. A pet can be the only one we tell our troubles to. And for many kids (and adults too) sometimes it seems that a pet is our only friend.
And yet, now in these difficult economic times, many families are discovering that one of the hard choices they are being forced to make is giving up the very pet that has provided comfort and affection because they no longer have enough money to care for the pet properly. Our area shelters are burdened by pets that have been dropped off by such families.
At the April meeting of the area food pantries held at York Hospital’s Center for Community Health, two community members – previously unknown to each other - both came to present the same idea: Is there a way we can help families keep their pets by getting them pet food through the pantries? The food pantry coordinators liked the idea and several reported a growing need for both human and pet food. Many local animal hospitals and businesses that sell pet food also volunteered their support through having collection bins or donating food.
So, starting the week of April 27th, pet food donations will be accepted at the Hannaford’s in York, Kittery and Eliot and delivered to the York Food Pantry and Footprints Food Pantry. Look for the large blue “recycle” bin decorated with pet photos at Hannaford’s and for boxes and bins at the following locations: Kittery Ace Hardware, Kittery Animal Hospital, Piscataqua Animal Hospital, and Rite Aid in Kittery. Agway and Pawsitive Steps on Rte. 236 are collection locations for Eliot.
Nancy Farron of the Community Wellness Coalition an animal lover and Kittery resident will be volunteering her time to collect pet food at Kittery locations and bring it to Kittery’s Footprints Pantry. Sally Manninen a cat lover from York will be picking up the Hannaford’s donations and delivering it to the York Food Pantry. Nancy and Sally are hoping that the initiative will help families and pets and also that other community members will volunteer to help their local pantries get pet food donations as well. Volunteers to assist with pick up and delivery would be welcome. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Nancy at nanef@comcast.net For pantry locations and contact info, go to http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/co/tefap/York.shtml which lists all pantries in York County.
York Community Food Pantry
Location: Woodbridge Road (Behind old Fazio's Restaurant) York, ME 03909
Days and Hours: Thursday 9 to 3
Contact: Tom Whalen 207-351-1928
Food Pantry Footprints
Location: 37 Old Post Road, P.O. Box 246, Kittery, ME 03904
Days and Hours: Wednesday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Contact: Barbara Fernald 207-439-4673
For more info on this project in York and Kittery contact Sally at sallymanninen@hotmail.com or Nancy at nanef@comcast.net.
Stores with donation bins:
Kittery
Kittery Animal Hospital
Kittery Hardware
Piscataqua Animal Hosp. and Pet Supply
Rite Aid
Eliot
Agway
Eliot Town Hall
Full Circle Thrift Shop
Pawsitive Steps
York
Ani-Mals
Hannaford
Village Vet
South Berwick
Chauncy's Pet Pantry
Portsmouth
Petco
Pet Quarters
Download a flyer to post at veterinarians and animal shelters: pdf