Nearly 1 million pounds of pet food & supplies distributed to animal welfare groups across the Commonwealth

Concord, VA, 2022-Dec-13 — /EPR Network/ — Gleaning For The World, along with Homeward Trails Animal Rescue, are celebrating the distribution of over 962,000 pounds of pet food and pet supplies to animal welfare organizations across the Commonwealth from 2021 to 2022.

Where: Gleaning For The World – 7539 Stage Road, Concord, Virginia 24538

When: Friday, December 9, 2022, at 1:30 PM

Prior to the pandemic, many animal welfare organizations were already struggling to meet the needs of their communities due to rising costs of pet foods, medicines, and supplies for the animals in their care.

Once the pandemic came along, animal welfare groups saw dramatic increases in the need for pet assistance in their communities. This, combined with the lack of spay/neuter appointments during the pandemic lockdown, has resulted in higher numbers of animals within the shelter /rescue system across Virginia.

Concord based Gleaning For The World and Fairfax based Homeward Trails Animal Rescue saw the tremendous need to help these organizations, their communities, and the animals in jeopardy.

At the same time, national non-profit organization GreaterGood Charities had been looking for partners to serve as distribution hubs to distribute free, or extremely reduced, pet foods and pet supplies to animal welfare organizations and community pantries across the Commonwealth. A meeting was set up in early 2021 and a new partnership was formed to help animals throughout Virginia.

Since this partnership was formed, 962,000 pounds of pet food and pet supplies have been distributed to 38 animal welfare organizations and 3 community pantries for no more than 15 cents a pound!

“We are excited that so many families and their pets have been helped by this program,” Gleaning’s president, Jeane Smiley-Mason said.

James McLaughlin, director of shelter relations for Homeward Trails Animal Rescue / Trails UP Program added, “the need for programs like this has never been greater. We are incredibly grateful to GreaterGood Charities & Gleaning For The World for their assistance and the opportunity to help more animals as well as the organizations /people that love them,”

Any representative from a Virginia animal shelter, rescue or pantry interested in learning more about getting involved in this program is welcome to attend. ###