PetSmart Charities Teams up with Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America to Deliver Millions of Pounds of Pet Food to Those in Need

Top non-profits tackle hunger for pets and people with $9.4 million in support

PHOENIX, Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 53 million people —1 in 6 — turning to food pantries and meal programs for help in 2021, many faced the challenge of feeding both themselves and their beloved pets. PetSmart Charities^®, the foremost funder of animal welfare in the U.S., is collaborating with Feeding America^® and Meals on Wheels America to respond to the continued hunger crisis by delivering pet food right alongside food for their people.

In 2022, PetSmart Charities committed $9.4 million in grant support for pet food insecurity to its partners.

In 2022, PetSmart Charities is providing $7.9 million in donated pet food to Feeding America. More than nine million pounds of pet food have already been distributed, with more deliveries scheduled for October. In 2021, PetSmart Charities contributed $10 million in donated pet food to Feeding America when the pandemic left many families in need. The innovative partnership with the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization led to the delivery of pet food to member food banks across the nation.

Since 2019, critical support from PetSmart Charities has helped local Meals on Wheels America member organizations to deliver pet food alongside human meals, supporting the companion pets of older adults. During the three-year partnership with Meals on Wheels America, nearly 24,000 clients and 39,000 pets have been served with support to improve access to veterinary care, alleviate pet food insecurity, and identify service gaps and best practices through research.

PetSmart Charities believes people across all socio-economic statuses experience the benefits of caring for pets. Those who have already struggled in the wake of the pandemic are now faced with a 10% increase in food costs due to inflation. The organization says food insecurity can affect anyone and providing pet parents in need with resources keeps more pets in loving homes and out of already crowded shelters.

"Meaningful partnerships with organizations like Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America fuel our mission to make life better for pets and their families," said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. "We know pet parents would do anything for their pets — including feeding their pets before themselves. Seniors especially are making these impossible choices, and these unique partnerships make life better for both ends of the leash."

To support these initiatives, people can donate to PetSmart Charities as they check out at the register in PetSmart stores, or, online at petsmartcharities.org. For more information on how PetSmart Charities is working to keep families together and build healthier communities, visit petsmartcharities.org.

PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart^® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and disaster response. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart^® stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

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Feeding America^® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Meals on Wheels America is the national leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America's seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research, and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time.

Media Contact:

Régine Labossière
Media Relations, CL Relate for PetSmart Charities
C: 646.265.8677
E: [email protected]

24-Hour PetSmart Charities
Media Line: 623-587-2177

SOURCE PetSmart Charities