Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (Dec. 1, 2023) – With the weather outside getting frightful – for San Diego at least – Helen Woodward Animal Center’s AniMeals Program wants to make sure that every pet’s holiday is quite delightful. TODAY, the Center’s long-standing relationship with Feeding San Diego, is making that goal even easier. The AniMeals program is honored to kick off its December efforts by providing food for 500 pets at Feeding San Diego’s Holiday Food Distribution at Palomar College this morning, Friday December 1st between 8:45 and noon.
Since its start, Helen Woodward Animal Center’s AniMeals program has supplied pet food to pets of homebound seniors, military veterans and San Diegan’s experiencing homelessness. The program first partnered with Feeding San Diego in 2020, to distribute pet food for those affected by pandemic-related job loss. Since then, the partnership has expanded to monthly pet food distribution along with Feeding San Diego’s standard human-centric operations.
Every year, the Center program that began almost 40 years ago receives an increase in desperate pleas for nutritious and filling meals for the pets of those who are homebound and homeless during the winter months. This year, the skyrocketing prices of household goods combined with stagnant wages, has made the need even greater.
“We normally feed about 50 dogs a month when we attend their food drops,” AniMeals Supervisor Taylor Casey said. “We were thrilled that Feeding San Diego asked us to participate in their Holiday Food Distribution. We know that so many people are really struggling right now and it’s challenging to reach everyone when they are spread across the city. To be able to expand our pet food assistance from 50 to 500 this month is incredibly exciting.”
AniMeals will continue its wintertime efforts throughout the month, thanks to a partnership with Kahoots Feed and Pet Store. Returning with an annual holiday tradition that began several years ago, all 11 San Diego Kahoots locations will serve as drop-off points for a December food drive between December 1 – 25, 2023. Shoppers can find AniMeals bins in all Kahoots locations, encouraging generous hearts to consider purchasing an extra bag or can for pets in need this holiday season.
As an added incentive to give to the AniMeals food drive and to celebrate the opening of its new location, Helen Woodward Animal Center and Kahoots in 4S Ranch will be treating donors to a Santa PAWS photo opportunity to use in picture-perfect holiday cards. Pet-owners are encouraged to come to the store (located at 10537 4S Commons Dr #171, San Diego, CA 92127), Saturday, December 2nd between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
