Three PetSmart store locations in Northern Nevada are hosting a pet food drive for St. Vincent’s Food Pantry during the week of September 8th through 14th, 2014. The stores located on MaeAnne Avenue, South Virginia Street, and Los Altos Parkway are all participating. Shoppers who visit the stores can purchase dog or cat food when they check out, and all donations will be delivered to St. Vincent’s Food Pantry at the end of the week.
The St. Vincent’s Food Pantry distributes about 1,000 pounds of pet food each week, which helps about 900 local families feed their pets. The St. Vincent’s Food Pantry distributes monthly food boxes to feed human clients as well. Families can visit the pantry once each month and are given a week’s worth of food based on family size.The majority of the people who visit the pantry for food are working citizens who are living below the poverty line.
“It’s difficult to see people struggling to feed themselves and their families, and many of these same people have pets as well. Pets bring them so much joy, and it’s heartbreaking to know that having an extra mouth to feed can be a burden on them. We are so grateful for drives like these that help us continue to provide them with food,” says Scott Cooksley, Director of St. Vincent’s Food Pantry.
St. Vincent’s Food Pantry is also a distribution location for the nationwide nonprofit organization, Pets of the Homeless.
PetSmart is conducting this pet food drive through its PetSmart Gives Back initiative. This initiative focuses on giving back to local communities throughout the nation in support of organizations that enrich people’s lives through the power of pets.
SOURCE: Catholic Charities.
