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Denise Lapp, a part-time substitute teacher in Amenia, says it costs about $20 a week to feed 13-year-old Jovi, named for musician Jon Bon Jovi. “There was a time when I thought maybe I wasn’t going to be able to feed myself and Jovi. I’m frugal, so I make it work” with help from The Corner Food Pantry in Lakeville, CT, a Family Food Pantry site.
Denise and Jovi
Magic loves the food from Dutchess County Outreach Food Pantry.
Miguel and Magic
Marlo appreciates the hot food and the staff at the Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry: “They make you feel better and smiles are always shared. Chaz is a service pup for me and he works extremely hard and is known by many in the county, and I appreciate donations of pet food for him.”
Marlo and Chaz
Food of Life in Amenia, NY, has added pet names to their rosters so when a guest comes in, staff can ask by name how both they and their pets are doing, which helps deepen a sense of community and belonging, staff say.
a client at Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry in Poughkeepsie told us she was moved to tears when she saw the food pantry had pet food because she realized she would be able to keep her dog.
C.
Denise Lapp, a part-time substitute teacher in Amenia, says it costs about $20 a week to feed 13-year-old Jovi, named for musician Jon Bon Jovi. “There was a time when I thought maybe I wasn’t going to be able to feed myself and Jovi. I’m frugal, so I make it work” with help from The Corner Food Pantry in Lakeville, CT, a Family Food Pantry site.
Denise and Jovi
Magic loves the food from Dutchess County Outreach Food Pantry.
Miguel and Magic
Marlo appreciates the hot food and the staff at the Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry: “They make you feel better and smiles are always shared. Chaz is a service pup for me and he works extremely hard and is known by many in the county, and I appreciate donations of pet food for him.”
Marlo and Chaz
Food of Life in Amenia, NY, has added pet names to their rosters so when a guest comes in, staff can ask by name how both they and their pets are doing, which helps deepen a sense of community and belonging, staff say.
C., a client at Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry in Poughkeepsie told us she was moved to tears when she saw the food pantry had pet food, because she realized she would be able to keep her dog.
During hard times, our family pets give us comfort, unconditional love, and sometimes the motivation we need to keep going.
When Crystal met Hershey, a 9-year-old dog who was blind in one eye, he ran into her arms. “It was love at first sight.” Crystal Vantassall was mourning the loss of her husband of 21 years, and Hershey had been at the Dutchess SPCA for over a year, waiting to be adopted. “I saved him, and he saved me.”
Pets are family. That’s why the Animal Farm Foundation launched the Family Food Pantry Program. In 2019, we were hearing from pet shelter staff and animal control officers that more and more families were worried about how they’d afford to feed their animal companions, or worse, if they’d have to rehome them. We decided it was time to take action.
“We believe that every member of the family should have access to essentials at the food pantry,” says Bernice Clifford, AFF’s Executive Director. “Our experience is that pet food is sometimes available at local animal shelters, but not always. We want to make it easy for families so they don’t have to go to multiple places, or go without.”
The Family Food Pantry program now provides dog and cat food to 11 local food pantries in Amenia, Dover Plains, Fishkill, Hyde Park, Lakeville, Millerton, Pine Plains, Poughkeepsie and Stanfordville. See all locations.
“It’s very helpful for people like me,” says Vantassall, who in addition to Hershey has four cats and receives pet food from Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry each week – she calls it a lifeline as pet food costs have risen in recent years. “It’s a way of keeping our pets. I take adoption very seriously, and make sure I can provide for my pets. And this really helps.”
Our program makes it easier for families and pets to stay together and be nourished, together. Families know they can count on having pet food every week, not just when a generous resident or business donates to a particular pantry.
Since 2019, we have purchased more than $135,000 in pet food for pantries to distribute. Local partners, including Tractor Supply in Amenia, Blue Seal, and Roosters Hardware in Stanfordville, have also donated pet food.
However, the need is so great that AFF funds most of the supplies for pantries directly. That means it’s a challenge to expand to meet growing needs.
“In the past few years, we’ve seen food pantries double, triple, and even quadruple the number of families they serve. So the Family Food Pantry has grown as the need has grown,” says Clifford.
According to Feeding America, a national foodbank network, one in nine Hudson Valley residents face food insecurity, meaning they don’t always have what they need to meet their basic food needs. Pet food prices are 23% higher this March than in March 2021, and nearly 25% higher than when we started the program in 2019. In a LendingTree poll of pet owners, most respondents (76%) said pet food was the cost that has gotten the most expensive, more even than vet visits (56%) or necessary supplies (40%).
We’re hearing from pantry and outreach staff across our locations – and in many places we don’t yet have the resources to support – that the Family Food Program makes a big difference.
It’s heartening to see more and more pantries get pet food donations from generous residents and local businesses – but we have learned that in order to truly make an impact, pantries need a steady source they can rely on each week to meet local needs. That way, families know they can provide for every member, consistently.
This support is more than just “nice to have.” Whether they’re service or companion animals, there’s plenty of science showing that four-legged family members can have positive impacts on their humans’ mental and physical health. Having a pet is associated with increased physical activity levels, reduced symptoms of PTSD, and even decreases in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, according to the National Institutes of Health. It’s also linked with better cognitive function in elderly adults.
Tara Whalen, the tireless director of the Dutchess Outreach Food Pantry in Poughkeepsie, New York, told us that one of their guests adopted a dog after her therapist recommended it as part of her mental health treatment plan. She had the energy and ability to bring a dog into her life, but being on a fixed income, she wasn’t sure she had the resources to cover the extra expenses. The day she learned about the Family Food Pantry, she adopted a dog. The pantry staff say they see a notable improvement in her mental state.
The Family Food Pantry model can be replicated in any county or region across the country. “The dream is that we get enough monetary and/or food donations from outside sources like pet food manufacturers, pet stores and individuals so that the program can run by itself, and we direct the food to where it is needed,” says Clifford.
Here’s a list of local food pantries that offer pet food through the Family Food Pantry program. We encourage shelter staff to share this with foster and adoptive families. If you’d like printouts for your site, please contact acadia@animalfarmfoundation.org
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We welcome donations to help us sustain and expand the Family Food Pantry Program.
If you know a business or brand looking to sponsor our program, let us know! Contact us.
Animal Farm Foundation (AFF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization built on the principle that all dogs are individuals. Our Foundation relies on science-based information about animal behavior and public policy, including breed-specific legislation and housing insurance discrimination, derived from our subsidiary National Canine Research Council. AFF’s team offers regional and national initiatives that support dogs and the people who care for them in their communities.
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Shelter/Rescue Registration: RR286
3023 East Church St, Pine Plains, NY 12567
(518) 398-7692