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Copy of Boston Globe article on CoPAL's "Keeping
Families Together" program:
*****
Food pantries finding pets need meals,
too
Recession brings new need for aid at non profits
At Neighbors in Need in Andover, Barbara Hinckley
unloads pet food. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)
By Brian Benson
Globe Correspondent / January 14, 2010
As director of Neighbors in Need, Linda Zimmerman expected the recession
to increase the number of people using the food pantry.
Zimmerman didn’t expect the Lawrence-based organization to have to start
helping dogs and cats in addition to humans.
But thanks to the nonprofit Coalition to Protect Animals Locally, which has
donated about 800 pounds of pet food and supplies to the pantry since
November, many clients have had an easier time feeding their pets in
recent weeks.
“Certainly, the need is there,’’ Zimmerman said. “The first day people knew
we had it, it was flying out of there.’’
Although Neighbors in Need occasionally received pet food through
individual donations or local stores, this was the first program targeted at
animals.
“I hadn’t really gone after pet food before, but now that this project is
happening I can put it on our list,’’ Zimmerman said.
The coalition, founded last spring, consists of a network of 20 animal lovers
living throughout the Merrimack Valley.
“For most families, animals represent a member of their own family just like
children,’’ said Lois Karfunkel of Andover, one of its founding volunteers.
“It would be a shame if families have to decide between feeding their
children and pets.’’
The biggest challenge is raising awareness, since people generally donate
pet food to animal shelters, said Karfunkel, who teaches an animal law
course at Boston University.
But most shelters, battling overcrowding and rising costs, only use the food
for animals under their care, she said.
“There was a gap that I thought we could fill,’’ Karfunkel said.
“It’s one of those things where you mention it and people say ‘Gee, that
makes a lot of sense. Why hasn’t it been done before?’ ’’
One shelter that does provide food to pet owners is Gloucester-based Cape
Ann Animal Aid, although it has not networked with a food pantry, said
Rebecca Shatford, the group’s public relations manager.
The shelter typically collects 20 bags of food per week in addition to pet
treats and cat litter, mostly from individual donations, Shatford said.
“We hear from people who are crying on the phone and just can’t find a way
to feed their animals,’’ she said. “We’ve been able to give them an option.’’
For Zimmerman, the coalition’s work has opened her eyes to a new way to
help clients while reducing the demand on animal shelters, she said.
“People are just beginning to understand that need,’’ she said. “If we can
help people keep animals in their homes, we are certainly interested in
doing what we can.’’
The Coalition to Protect Animals Locally hopes to also become involved in
supporting animal legislation, grant writing, and funding spay and neuter
clinics. For more information, visit www.protectanimalslocally.org.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
Families Together" program:
*****
Food pantries finding pets need meals,
too
Recession brings new need for aid at non profits
At Neighbors in Need in Andover, Barbara Hinckley
unloads pet food. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)
By Brian Benson
Globe Correspondent / January 14, 2010
As director of Neighbors in Need, Linda Zimmerman expected the recession
to increase the number of people using the food pantry.
Zimmerman didn’t expect the Lawrence-based organization to have to start
helping dogs and cats in addition to humans.
But thanks to the nonprofit Coalition to Protect Animals Locally, which has
donated about 800 pounds of pet food and supplies to the pantry since
November, many clients have had an easier time feeding their pets in
recent weeks.
“Certainly, the need is there,’’ Zimmerman said. “The first day people knew
we had it, it was flying out of there.’’
Although Neighbors in Need occasionally received pet food through
individual donations or local stores, this was the first program targeted at
animals.
“I hadn’t really gone after pet food before, but now that this project is
happening I can put it on our list,’’ Zimmerman said.
The coalition, founded last spring, consists of a network of 20 animal lovers
living throughout the Merrimack Valley.
“For most families, animals represent a member of their own family just like
children,’’ said Lois Karfunkel of Andover, one of its founding volunteers.
“It would be a shame if families have to decide between feeding their
children and pets.’’
The biggest challenge is raising awareness, since people generally donate
pet food to animal shelters, said Karfunkel, who teaches an animal law
course at Boston University.
But most shelters, battling overcrowding and rising costs, only use the food
for animals under their care, she said.
“There was a gap that I thought we could fill,’’ Karfunkel said.
“It’s one of those things where you mention it and people say ‘Gee, that
makes a lot of sense. Why hasn’t it been done before?’ ’’
One shelter that does provide food to pet owners is Gloucester-based Cape
Ann Animal Aid, although it has not networked with a food pantry, said
Rebecca Shatford, the group’s public relations manager.
The shelter typically collects 20 bags of food per week in addition to pet
treats and cat litter, mostly from individual donations, Shatford said.
“We hear from people who are crying on the phone and just can’t find a way
to feed their animals,’’ she said. “We’ve been able to give them an option.’’
For Zimmerman, the coalition’s work has opened her eyes to a new way to
help clients while reducing the demand on animal shelters, she said.
“People are just beginning to understand that need,’’ she said. “If we can
help people keep animals in their homes, we are certainly interested in
doing what we can.’’
The Coalition to Protect Animals Locally hopes to also become involved in
supporting animal legislation, grant writing, and funding spay and neuter
clinics. For more information, visit www.protectanimalslocally.org.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
| COPYRIGHT 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
| CoPal in the News |