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| The No Empty Bowl Pet Food Pantry II is a new initiative in Cumberland and York counties that assists pet owners in obtaining food for their pets at no cost. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Backpacks for Homeless Dogs, a project of the Maine Homeless
Veterans Alliance, has recently expanded its reach to become a pet food pantry
for anyone in need. The name for this
new program is No Bowl Empty Pet Food Pantry II.
For five years, Nadine Molloy ran the No Bowl Empty Pet Food
Pantry out of her Waterboro home.
Earlier this year, when the undertaking became too large for one person
to manage, Pittie Posse Rescue and Sanctuary took over the program. The new No
Bowl Empty Pet Food Pantry II is run by Journey, who has no legal last name.
While working with the Maine Homeless Veterans Alliance,
Journey noticed that several of the homeless, especially in Portland, had dogs
– and one woman had a cat. Inspired by seeing a homeless woman who had dogs
help a homeless man with his dog, Journey began the Backpacks for Homeless Dogs
project.
“I started thinking if the homeless lady can help the
homeless guy with a dog, why can’t I,” she said. She, and others with the MHVA, began bringing
backpacks filled with dog treats, food, and other necessities when they went
out to help the homeless. “It snowballed from there,” she said.
Journey began receiving messages from others in tight
situations, such as a woman who, at the end of the month, had to decide between
buying milk and bread or cat litter. She
also helped families who had been homeless, got an apartment, and were suddenly
faced with many bills to pay, by providing dog food for a few months to give
them time to adjust.
“It kept getting bigger and bigger, and then the coronavirus
hit,” Journey said. Suddenly, people who
never thought they’d have trouble getting pet food either couldn’t afford it,
or simply couldn’t find what they needed.
There was a backlog at Chewy.com, and stores were thin on supplies,
Journey said. “People started panicking,” she said.
With three cats, a dog, and a hermit crab rescue, Journey
could empathize. “I just couldn’t
imagine if I didn’t have a way to get my animals some food,” she said. “I would be devastated.”
“Some other folks who
were giving pet food were telling people that if they couldn’t afford to feed
their pet, maybe they shouldn’t have it. And they’re supposed to be helping,”
Journey said. “I put out [a message
saying] if someone’s telling you that, please, please, contact me and I’ll make
sure that you have food.”
News channels began to show interest in what she was doing,
so Journey went on several programs and ended up with so many donations her
entire living room was filled.
Molloy has been one of the biggest supporters of the
Backpacks for Homeless Dogs program, Journey said. When Journey decided to
launch a full-blown pet food pantry herself, Molloy offered to help get it set
up. Some donors who had given to Molloy’s
efforts had already begun donating to Journey, and people recognized the name.
So when Molloy gave her permission to use the No Bowl Empty name, “people loved
it,” Journey said.
Molloy also donated a 12x16 shed that her father, a marine,
had built more than 30 years ago to house the pantry. It was hauled to Steep Falls, where Journey
is located, and they’re renovating it to suit their needs. “We’re slowly getting gall of the stuff out
of the house and into the ‘Chow Hall’ so that we can sit on our couch again,”
Journey said. The goal, Journey said, is to have regular days where people can
come and get what they need, though that hasn’t happened yet.
Donations can be made to the project by contacting Journey
through Facebook or the Maine Veterans Alliance website. Monetary donations are best right now to help
finish setting up the building and allow her to purchase the pet food brands
people are already using to avoid causing stomach issues in the animals. The
best way to reach Journey is through Facebook messenger to her personal
Facebook page (Journey Ramsey), the Backpacks for Homeless Dogs page, or the
Maine Homeless Veterans Alliance page. Because the project is through the MHVA
it has nonprofit status, and tax receipts for donations are available. <
