Pennsylvania SPCA receives $10,000 grant from PetSmart Charities® to provide food and supplies to Philadelphia’s vulnerable pet families during COVID-19 pandemic
PSPCA Community Outreach Program to assist families in need in targeted neighborhoods impacted by the coronavirus
Philadelphia, PA (May 1, 2020) – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, PetSmart Charities has awarded the Pennsylvania SPCA with a $10,000 grant to assist pet families in need throughout the Philadelphia region. The funds are being put into action immediately to provide resources, including pet food and needed supplies, as families face the health and economic impacts of the virus.
In just the past three weeks, the PSPCA’s Community Outreach Manager, Mandy Hood, has delivered over 4,000 lbs. of food to those in most need throughout Philadelphia.
With seemingly no return to normalcy in sight for the Philadelphia region, the Pennsylvania SPCA’s Community Outreach Program is continuing to assist the most vulnerable pet families. Families identified include those without access to pet food pantries in their neighborhoods as well as families living in areas that are pet food and veterinary clinic deserts. Even many corner stores that would normally carry pet food have been shuttered.
The priority neighborhoods that have been identified include the immediate vicinity around the shelter, as well as neighborhoods in West Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, sections of North Philadelphia, East Germantown and Belfield.
In addition to the identified geographic regions, the Pennsylvania SPCA is working alongside school partners which have had families express a need for pet food and is providing food to the Walker Junior Unity Center Food Site to alleviate some of the demand for pet food. Plans to reach out to industries hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic are currently in the works as well.
“Over the past five years I’ve spent my days creating relationships with community members to help fill the gaps in pet resources throughout the city of Philadelphia,” said Mandy Hood, Community Outreach Manager for the PSPCA. “There has always been a need for access to pet food and veterinary supplies and treatment, but through this pandemic that need has increased dramatically. It is always our goal to support the most vulnerable families, and keep pets happy and healthy in their homes. Through this health and economic crisis, we are more dedicated than ever.”
“As an organization dedicated to supporting pets and the people who love them, PetSmart Charities remains committed to the health and welfare of pets during this unprecedented time, and our hearts go out to those impacted by COVID-19,” said Kelly Balthazor, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “We are proud to support the PSPCA’s work to provide vital resources that will help pet families in the Philadelphia area stay together during the uncertainty of this pandemic.”
For those who would like to contribute to the Pennsylvania SPCA’s continuing efforts to provide resources for the most vulnerable communities, a fund has been created to purchase pet food and essential supplies. Please donate to the Community Pet Assistance Fund here: https://www.pspca.org/communitypetfund
About the Pennsylvania SPCA
Since 1867, the Pennsylvania SPCA, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization headquartered at 350 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, has been dedicated to preventing animal cruelty and rescuing animals from abuse and neglect. The Pennsylvania SPCA's lifesaving programs for animals include a low-cost veterinary clinic, low-cost spay and neuter services, pet adoption facilities, and the Pennsylvania SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Department. For more information about adopting, donating or volunteering, please call (215) 426.6300 or visit www.pspca.org.
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for more than 600,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities 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 nearly $429 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.