According to Don’t Forget to Feed Me Co-Founder Kim Pearson,
“Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank, Inc. (DF2FM) was founded during the economic crisis of 2008, and now, 15 years later, we find ourselves in a similar economic environment. With continued market uncertainty, we’re preparing to provide additional support. We’ve already seen an increased need for assistance within the communities we serve. In 2022, we distributed almost 30% more pet food than in 2021, and partner agency requests increased over 15%.
“While the cause of the current economic uncertainty differs from 2008, its effects remain the same. Families and individuals are struggling to put food on the table and are forced to choose which bill they can skip each month. In some cases, families are relinquishing their pet – a member of the family – because that is one less mouth to feed. Local shelters and rescues are seeing mass surrenders of companion animals, while at the same time, DF2FM has a waitlist that continues to grow.
“The mission of DF2FM is to supply pet food to local agencies in support of pet owners while educating the public about pet food insecurity. By providing pet food for those in need during challenging financial times and increasing awareness, we offer an alternative to surrendering – or worse, abandoning – a family pet. In our 15 years of serving the greater Fort Worth area, we have distributed almost 10-million pet meals and served close to 130,000 households. That is enough to fill AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, and Dickies Arena.
“On average, we receive 11,000 pounds of donated pet food per month, and while that may seem high, demand always outpaces supply. To meet increasing demand, we often purchase additional food, which typically averages 15,000 pounds a month. Thankfully, we have been fortunate to partner with a local feed store to purchase at a discounted rate.
“In July 2022 our Director, Maria Koegl, was visiting a DF2FM distribution partner, Fort Worth Hope Center. She met a client, Marta, who was picking up dog food for her service dog, Princess. Marta is on Social Security and disability and her rent had recently gone up. She told Maria she would not be able to afford to continue feeding herself and Princess without the food she was receiving at Fort Worth Hope Center. Through our partnerships, clients like Marta can get food for the whole family, preventing them from having to choose between ‘stay or go’ for their four-legged family members.
“Don’t Forget to Feed Me has…
- 19 food pantries served in Tarrant, Denton, and Johnson County.
- 16 Home Not Alone partners (includes area senior centers and/or residences).
- distributed 30,300 lbs. or 121,250 pet meals per month.
- seen a 28% increase in distribution from 2021 to 2022.
- added 8 new agency partners since 2022.
- distributed 9.2 million pet meals since 2008.
“Supporting Don’t Forget to Feed Me during North Texas Giving Day will ensure our nonprofit can expand our services and impact assisting pet owners.”
* Graphic/photo credit: Don't Forget To Feed Me
In 14 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $503 million into the North Texas community. In 2022, more than $62.6 million was raised through 94,385 donors benefiting over 3,210 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 21, support Don’t Forget to Feed Me by clicking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay2023