Centre County PAWS on Thursday officially opened a community pet food pantry to help people keep their animals fed during tough times.
The Virginia Walker Pet Pantry, named in honor of the late, longtime State College resident and animal lover, is open to any community member who needs some help with no questions asked.
“During our business hours people can come in, grab food and any miscellaneous pet supplies that are available,” Lisa Bahr, PAWS executive director, said. “It’s all on the honor system. We recognize that sometimes people just need a little assistance. We are here as a community support and we want to help keep beloved pets in their homes.”
Immediately recognizing the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit animal shelter and welfare organization informally launched a pet pantry about two years ago.
“At that time when people’s livelihoods and financial income was so uncertain we decided to offer some of our surplus cat food and dog food,” Bahr said. “In the past two years that has grown significantly and we saw what a substantial need there was in the community for that food.”
Seeing the need for a more permanent and organized solution, Christine Faust, director of development, approached Larry and Karen Walker, who provided a gift in honor of Larry’s mother to establish a pantry with a storage shed.
The shed bears a plaque from Larry and his siblings, Page and John, dedicated “In loving memory of our parents, Philip and Virginia Walker, and their beloved pets Muffins and Cokie.”
“Pets have been an important part of our family over the years,” Larry Walker said. “My parents rescued a number of cats and dogs over the years and they’ve always been a part of our home. I was so glad Chris called us… and dropped this idea on us to do this because they knew that my mother and father would really be supportive of the idea.”
The storage shed allows PAWS to buy in bulk and keep a stock of supplies. It currently stores two pallets of dog food donated by Stella and Chewy’s along with pallets of cat food purchased with donations and at a wholesale discount from Wiscoy and miscellaneous items.
In all its about a six-month supply.
“Logistically it’s necessary to have the extra space,” Bahr said. “During the pandemic when we launched the unofficial pet pantry, people were really interested in donating a lot of food and we soon had an overwhelming amount of food in our lobby, which was a good problem to have. So this is our surplus and we can keep it stocked with actual pallets of food being delivered, so we can get it at a reduced cost and that’s a great use of funds that way.”
Community members can come in to the main PAWS building at 1401 Trout Road during open hours to pick out what they need from tables in the lobby.
No proof of financial need is required. PAWS asks individuals to provide where they live so that the organization can track the areas being helped the most.
Bahr said that for people who are struggling financially, it’s most often the case that they sacrifice their own needs to ensure their pets are fed.
“When people were being furloughed, being let go from their jobs we were hearing about people who were literally feeding their pets human food,” she said. “There’s really not many circumstances that we hear too much about from the folks who are visiting us where they’re just not feeding their pets. Instead they’re spending their money that they would use to feed themselves for their pets. These are their beloved pets. They want to make sure that they’re cared for. So really by helping to feed the pets we’re also in a way helping to keep these people fed, too.”
PAWS also has partnered with State College Meals on Wheels to deliver pet food from the pantry to community members who are not physically able to come in to pick it up.
The pantry isn’t just available to pet owners, but also people who aid PAWS’ mission by caring for community, or feral, cats.
“These are cats that are unowned in the community and there are so many cat-loving people who utilize our spay and neuter assistance program to get them altered so that they are not reproducing,” Bahr said. “Sometimes they have 10, 15 cats that they’re caring for and that expense can add up very quickly. That’s one group of people we give a lot of food to.”
Community members who want to support the pantry can do so by donating food and miscellaneous items — cat food is the biggest need — or by making a monetary donation.
“Even though we have a lot of food right now, we will definitely go through it in probably a few months,” Bahr said. “If you donate financially, because we can order in bulk… your dollar goes a little bit further that way.”
Karen Walker said Virginia Walker would be proud to see the new community resource that bears her name.
“My mother-in-law loved animals, she loved people and she loved the community,” she said. “This is really meaningful. I think she’d be really happy.”
PAWS will resume open hours on Saturday. Hours will be 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and noon 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
To make a donation or for more information visit centrecountypaws.org or call (814) 237-8722.
