Stories Archives - Colorado Pet Pantry

Keeping Pet Families Together – your support makes all the difference

As we approach 2025, and think about all the pets that will need assistance in the next 12 months, we want to introduce you to a family that is still together due to your foundational support.

Meet Emerald. Her words sum up our purpose so well.

“Keeping people united with loved ones, including pets, is a vital part of helping us stay physically and mentally healthy; it’s also essential for maintaining our ability to stay hopeful, which in turn, is one of the most crucial factors in any kind of recovery from economic or other traumas. I have been unhoused or housing-insecure at any given time for close to a dozen years,” she shares.

Emerald is currently living in her truck with her two dogs, Avery “Mouse” Lee (left) and Pantera (right). This family receives pet food and supplies at our Denver area locations.

“As a public health student and something of a medical resource liaison for my peers in the homeless community, I’ve both formally studied and witnessed firsthand the impacts of family separation on people in chronic trauma populations like ours.”

Families like Emerald, Mouse and Pantera are able to stay together thanks to the resources they receive from Colorado Pet Pantry, which you make possible.

Can you help pets like Mouse and Pantera stay with their loving families, with a monthly gift or one-time donation?

A gift of any size at any time is always deeply appreciated and impactful. If dividing your donation into 12 months is possible, so that you can become a monthly recurring donor, that is very powerful for these three vital reasons:

1. In 2025 we plan to host at least 341 pet food pantries that are “open to the public” (additionally, we provide food for our “mini pet food pantries” where a partner organization distributes the food). This type of assistance requires ongoing, consistent support. Pledging a monthly donation allows us to plan ahead and continue to be the stable resource that pet families need.

2. When you invest in our mission each month, you are part of the ongoing solution to prevent pets from ever entering rescues or shelters. Animal shelters often face high costs and limited resources to re-home pets, while pets themselves endure the emotional trauma of being displaced. Your monthly gift helps save shelters funds, food, and time; helping to ensure families receive the support they need, and saving pets from unnecessary stress while keeping them where they belong — with their loving people.

3. The best reason to pledge your support right now? A generous donor is challenging us to secure 40 monthly recurring donors by midnight on Tuesday, December 31st, and in turn is matching each new or increased monthly commitment of $25 or more with a donation of $250. This opportunity expires at midnight on New Year’s Eve. We need 3 more donors to meet this challenge. Please help pet families like Emerald’s and pledge your support today.

How to Start Your Monthly Donation

We are deeply grateful for your support whether monthly or one-time. Every contribution — no matter the size — will advance our mission to support Colorado’s pets and the families who love them in 2025. From feeding a pet for a month with just $5, to ensuring families like Emerald’s can stay together, your generosity makes a difference to those in need.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year, and sending a huge thank you for your continued dedication to help others. YOU make the world a better place.
~ the Colorado Pet Pantry team

Stories of Impact – December 2024

“You have SAVED us from parting each other’s company!” says Kathryn in Boulder when asked how Colorado Pet Pantry’s pet food assistance affected her pet family, consisting of both this beautiful orange kitty, plus the two kitties and dogs below.

In Boulder, we partner with human food bank, Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA). We are thankful for our supporters and partners who make helping multi-pet families such as Kathryn’s, possible.

“My four rescues. Thank you for helping me keep them fed and healthy!” Kenna in Cortez shares.

In our opinion, this picture shows everything we want to see. Beautiful, loved and healthy pets giving their focused attention to the human who loves them. Our Cortez location opened up this year along with our satellite warehouse, serving the Four Corners Region in Colorado. There is a large need for pet food assistance in this area and we are honored to be able to meet this need on a consistent basis.

“I am so very grateful for all of you. I have been down for the last now three months, struggling for food. You guys gave my girls a month and a half of food and treats you didn’t shame me for needing help…” Blu and Moo’s Mom, Dianne shares.

These two dogs join us at our Lafayette pet food pantry, in partnership with Sister Carmen. Anyone can fall on hard times for any number of reasons. Colorado Pet Pantry notoriously has some of the most gracious animal lovers in existence, but on top of that, our volunteers are there because they want to help fellow pet parents maximize the level of care they give their pets. We are not here to shame or judge anyone for their circumstance. We are here because if you need pet food, we are more than happy to supply you with that bag of dog or cat food, to help you bridge the gap until your next paycheck.

“I have utilized your services once and it was incredibly helpful! Being in a situation where I could use the support the Colorado Pet Pantry provides was humbling, however, your staff was so nonjudgmental, kind and thorough that it made the experience peaceful. Saving even $50 a month right now helps a lot and the donations I received certainly exceeded that value. The thoughtfulness of your organization is exceptional.” Kris from Thornton shares.

When we reached out to clients this October, this photo of Bella was one of the first to come in. Opening the email and seeing the backlit beauty of this calico feline took our breath away. And the personal moment that her mother, Kris, shared about her one and only experience with Colorado Pet Pantry was the perfect testimonial of why we exist.

Many people often find themselves in a financial predicament and do not know where to turn. We work hard to make sure Colorado pet families know we exist, so they can sleep easy at night. If you need pet food, we are here for you. We have 28 open-to-the-public locations where those in need of pet food can simply show up and walk away with what they need. We partner with human food pantries to target our services to low-income populations. We plan to be there for pet families well into the future and we thank our donors, partners and volunteers for supporting our mission in this pet-loving state. Our impact is felt by many of our clients during the hardest times in their lives. To be a small beacon of hope for some pet families is simply an honor.

Donate Now to Support Pet Families in Colorado

Spotlight on Key Pet Food Pantries

100% of the pet food we distribute is generously donated by individuals, businesses, and pet food brands. In 2024, we redirected one million pounds of quality pet food, often near best-by dates or with blemished packaging, preventing waste, and helping feed pets in need.

Donate to Support Pet Food Pantries Across Colorado

See where your donations have made an impact:

Grand Junction: We reached the Western Slope of Colorado in 2020 with the formation of our Grand Junction/Clifton pet food pantry. With coordination between Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies and Clifton Christian Church, this pet food pantry has grown to be the largest location we have.

Volunteer at the Grand Junction Pet Food Pantry

Summit County Pet Food Pantry: The newest and only expansion of 2024, we are excited to partner with another pet food pantry in an effort to serve the area of Summit County, just beyond the Continental Divide of Colorado. This area hosts a large population of pet-families, many of whom are not able to take advantage of low-income services, due to owning pets. We are here to assist these families with essential pet food needs in an effort to keep families in this region together.

We Don’t Waste – Bruce Randolph School in Denver: Our largest location on the Front Range of Colorado, opened in November 2020. Since its inception, we have distributed over 159,363 pounds of dry food, 30,775 cans of wet food to 5,789 families and their 14,715 pets. To accomplish this, we partner with We Don’t Waste, a nonprofit specializing in human food distribution, to create a one-stop-shop for the entire family (humans and pets alike) to receive pet food assistance.

Volunteer at the Bruce Randolph Pet Food Pantry

Alamosa County Fairgrounds – La Puente’s Food Bank Network of San Luis Valley: Stretching across the South Central region of Colorado is the San Luis Valley. Our pet food pantry, hosted at the local fairgrounds, in partnership with Dumb Friends League and La Puente’s Food Bank Network of San Luis Valley is a valued resource for pet owners in this area. Where the pet to human ratio is 4:1, these families need all the help they can get to keep their pets at home, and prevent the possibility of relinquishment to the over-crowded shelters.

Volunteer at the Alamosa Pet Food Pantry

Towaoc – Ute Mountain Reservation: 386 miles from our Englewood Warehouse, over six mountain passes, we reach the Ute Mountain Tribal Lands and our furthest location from our Front Range hub. This pet food pantry has received almost 100,000 pounds of kibble since its inception in January 2021.

Donate to Support Pet Food Pantries Across Colorado

Stories: Monique, Mito and Smokey

Monique first learned about Colorado Pet Pantry six years ago when she was struggling financially and saw a flyer at Food Bank for Larimer County, our human food bank partner in Loveland. Feeding her human family, in addition to her dog Mito, and cat Smokey, Monique was grateful to learn that she could get help with both human and pet food, all in one place.

“Mito (pronounced my-toe) was adopted from NoCo Humane Society and it has been amazing having such a loving, sassy, goofy dog. He brings so much unconditional love and joy to our household.”

Smokey is 13 and was adopted from someone to whom Monique used to give respite care. “She is a screamer, she will make sure to wake you up for pets and breakfast. She also is a purr machine and is very soft and cuddly. It’s been a treat being able to take in a senior and help her lose weight.”

Both Mito and Smokey have food sensitivities and special dietary needs, which often requires expensive pet food. Without the help of Colorado Pet Pantry, Monique told us she would likely have to buy cheaper pet food and at times feed Mito less. “My dog does have a sensitive stomach and often needs mid to higher priced food. With him being 120 pounds, it would become very expensive. With everything increasing in price and our dollar spreading thinner, it is hard to afford any quality animal food.”

“Colorado Pet Pantry has helped when our income has reached all-time lows and allowed us to continue to feed Mito. It has helped us when we needed food to get through for our cat Smokey. It has allowed us to keep our pets healthy and happy.”

Colorado Pet Pantry’s mission is to temporarily feed Colorado pets, allowing families to increase their ability to care for pets, with the goal of keeping them out of shelters and with their families. Monique is the perfect illustration of how donating a few extra bags of pet food can help someone and their large dog feel a sense of security in supplying a quality pet food diet. She also exemplifies the strategic move on Colorado Pet Pantry’s part of partnering with human food banks to create a one-stop-shop for everyone in the family to receive food assistance. We are only able to continue this work thanks to the generosity of our donors. Please consider donating today, and with just $5, you can supply one dog or cat with 30-days worth of pet food.

Client Stories – Robert and Kloe

Robert and Kloe are “two peas in a pod.” They’re never apart. Kloe is Robert’s Service Companion and “his best friend, his lifeline.”

Robert had a stroke at the young age of 23, which caused partial paralysis, amongst other health issues. He has lived in nursing homes and been involved in treatment facilities since his stroke, 25 years ago. A few years ago, his social worker and case manager at one of his homes set him up with Volunteers of America (VOA).

Living in a VOA apartment complex gives him the opportunity to live self-sufficiently, and the ability to have a service companion, Kloe.

VOA is one of Colorado Pet Pantry’s Mini Pet Food Banks. These are organizations or remote locations that receive pet food from us to distribute directly to their clients. This is how Robert receives pet food to help feed Kloe. He receives very limited Social Security benefits, and for the most part, dog food is not in his budget.

He is extremely grateful to Colorado Pet Pantry for the donations that Kloe and the other pets at VOA receive. “If I didn’t receive pet food from you guys, Kloe would be eating table scraps, like she used to eat,” Robert shares. Colorado Pet Pantry currently serves 74 Mini Pet Food Banks across Colorado.

We partner with organizations that support low-income families, elderly, homeless, people with disabilities and other groups in-need, to help reach clients and regions we may not otherwise have the resources to access with our monthly pet food banks. In addition to VOA, other organizations we work with include Mercy Housing, Nourish Meals On Wheels, Salvation Army, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and various Animal Welfare Organizations.

Stories: Donny and Gabriel

Gabriel, an outgoing yet calm feline companion played a vital role in helping Donny navigate life’s most challenging hurdles with unwavering affection.

When a sudden medical crisis left them both without a home, Donny faced the heartbreaking prospect of parting ways with his beloved friend. Colorado Pet Pantry stepped in, offering a lifeline of support. Providing essential supplies and resources for Gabriel, they ensured this duo could remain together, family forever.

“The Colorado Pet Pantry has helped Gabriel and me by providing food, treats, toys, a cat condo, which he loves, and a litter box. If it were not for the pantry, I would have struggled.”
~ Donny

Your support can help individuals like Donny and pets like Gabriel stay united during times of crisis. Donate today to Colorado Pet Pantry and help us continue our mission of keeping families and their beloved pets together through life’s toughest challenges.

11 Years in the Making

What started in 2013 as a Denver-based small nonprofit, supplying pet food to 858 pets per year, has grown into a statewide organization, with over 100 locations, distributing food to over 150,000 pets a year.

Over the last 11 years, Colorado Pet Pantry experienced exponential growth. Donations and need grew hand-in-hand, allowing us to maximize our impact.

However, after the Covid shutdown took hold on pet food manufacturing plants, and large-scale emergency donations ceased, the world suddenly faced an extensive, long-term pet food shortage. See video here about how we handled the pet food shortage. Because of this, Colorado Pet Pantry had to switch gears and focus on stabilization, rather than growth. Now, after two years of established commitment to our communities, we are excited to announce that we have had the ability and opportunity to open a new pet food pantry location in Cortez, CO.

For several years, we have been serving the community of Southwest Colorado, helping people feed and keep their pets, including “open to the public” locations in Mancos, Dove Creek, and Bayfield, as well as “mini pet food pantries” in Durango, Pagosa Springs, and the Ute Mountain Reservation of Towoac.

We held our first Cortez monthly pet food pantry in partnership with Good Samaritan’s Food Pantry on May 31, 2024. The opening of the new location in partnership with Good Sam’s was done with financial support from the LOR Foundation.

After years of no expansion, Colorado Pet Pantry wanted to take the first opportunity to open a pantry in Cortez and help the many guests in this area who need assistance.

Thanks to support from a dedicated core group of volunteers, who travel the area to host the pet food pantries, we were able to assist about 54 families and 228 pets on our first day with about 2,000 pounds of pet food.

We were even surprised by a visit from our prior program manager Suzanne (pictured here with another volunteer) who helped develop the assistance program in this area, before passing the torch to our new Program Manager Kim, who joined our team in January. Kim is making significant strides to help more people and pets in the area.

Suzanne and Colorado Pet Pantry volunteer.

We will be at this location on the last Friday of every month from 12PM to 2PM. Clients are eligible to receive pet food once out of every three months. Our full calendar is here.

Client Spotlight: Meet Wilder Lee. Wilder was one of the rare kitties to visit us “in-purr-son”. He has a disease called Cerebral Hypoplasia. His mom had Feline Leukemia when he was in utero. This disease will likely mean he can never walk and will continue to be 100% dependent on his person for food, water, nurturing, and urination. See Wilder’s Video here.

Due to the high cost of raising a pet with special needs, his person was grateful to pick up pet food at the pantry to assist with keeping Wilder as healthy as possible.

Additional Services: Many guests at this pantry had questions about spay and neuter options in the area. We offer a resource guide with several options (download Southwest Colorado resource PDF), including a mobile spay/neuter service that will host a clinic in September called Bergen Spay Neuter. More info here.

Thank you to everyone who made this new location possible, and Happy 11 Year Birthday to Colorado Pet Pantry. We are very excited to help pet families in the town of Cortez, and to have the ability to add this new location.

To volunteer with us, please visit this link. Colorado Pet Pantry is always grateful and in need of donations to make this work possible. We are able to feed a dog or cat for a full 30 days with just a $5 donation.

Kroenke Sports Charities Supports Pet Families in Colorado

Whether it’s from a donation of pet food, volunteer time, live auction items for our fundraisers, or multiple grants to our organization, one thing is clear: Kroenke Sports Charities takes the livelihood of Colorado pet families seriously.

Over the years Kroenke Sports Charities has been overwhelmingly generous to Colorado Pet Pantry. Each year, they send Bernie, the Avalanche Mascot to one of our pet food pantries to help distribute pet food.

A delight to children and pets, Bernie graciously helps distribute thousands of pounds of kibble to local pet families, helping to keep their pets in their homes and out of shelters.

With the help of Kroenke Sports Charities, Colorado Pet Pantry has distributed over 35 million meals in the last 11 years.

Everything we do, we do with help, and Kroenke Sports Charities has consistently shown up for us, year after year, as a local leader in community support.

Join us in saying THANK YOU to Kroenke Sports Charities!

Client Stories: Tori and Kupka

Sweet Kupka is a 15 year old kitty from Boulder and his human, Tori, visits the EFAA Pet Food Bank. Like many older cats, Kupka requires a substantial amount of wet food in order to thrive. Tori is on Social Security and a very tight budget. She shares, “We are grateful that Colorado Pet Pantry is able to help us through the generosity of their supporters.”

In the last 12 months, Colorado Pet Pantry distributed over 309,000 cans of wet food across the entire state of Colorado. Through the generosity of its donors, Colorado Pet Pantry has been able to ensure many cats like Kupka get the nutrition they need in order to stay healthy and happy. If you would like to make a donation visit coloradopetpantry.org/donate today.

Volunteer Spotlight: Krystal Parish

We are excited to shine a spotlight on one of our remarkable volunteers who has been making a significant impact through her dedication and passion. Meet Krystal Parish!

Why Krystal Stands Out

Krystal has been working with Colorado Pet Pantry for seven years. Beyond her commitment to our mission, she is an avid traveler, skier, and devoted animal lover.

Krystal goes above and beyond by actively participating in our fundraising efforts, helping to staff community pet food banks, lead community outreach events, and transporting pet food donations from all over the state!

You can catch Krystal at Parry’s Pizza this Thursday, or out hitting the slopes in Winter Park. Be sure to check out her generously donated auction item, available for rent year-round!

Words of Appreciation

We’re incredibly grateful to have Krystal as part of our team! Her infectious positivity, sense of humor, and genuine passion for our cause light up our community.

Working with Krystal isn’t just fun and fulfilling—it amplifies our impact for animals in need. We appreciate her dedication and uplifting spirit, and we’d love for more folks to join us in making a difference together!

Join Krystal and others in making a difference by exploring volunteer opportunities on our website. Not able to volunteer? Consider making a donation. Thanks to our pet food partnerships, just a $5 donation can support one dog or cat with 30-days worth of pet food.

Purina Supports Colorado Pets through Ongoing Pet Food Donations

Since Colorado Pet Pantry began in 2013, Purina has donated almost 200,000 pounds of pet food and supplies to the program. This type of large-brand ongoing donation is what makes Colorado Pet Pantry’s work possible.

Thanks to Purina, we are able to plan ahead, strategize, and help as many pets as possible in Colorado with pet food assistance. Purina cares about their community and has stepped up in numerous situations with large-scale donations of dog and cat food.

Join us in saying THANK YOU to our amazing pet food donor, Purina. ❤️

Client Stories – Angela and Claire

“Claire is a hound who loves people!” Angela laughs, as she describes Claire’s antics. “She yodels at everyone she meets and loves to point at squirrels!” Claire lost her home when her former owner passed away and no provisions were made for her. Angela came to the rescue by taking Claire into her heart and her home.

“She always knows my moods and is extremely sensitive to when I need her. She is everything to me.” But, Angela laments, “With the economy today it is very expensive for dog food. Claire is a 100 pound Black Labrador/Pointer mix and she eats a lot!”

Angela adds, “Colorado Pet Pantry is a life saver! They supplement Claire’s food and save me money for other bills. Without Pet Pantry, I would be forced to feed Claire cheap dog food or even people food, which isn’t good for her.”

Colorado Pet Pantry returns Claire’s joyful yodel in our appreciation for dedicated pet owners like Angela and promise to keep helping these two in the future.

Impact Report – 2023

In the last 12 months…

9 Million Meals fed to pets in need
1.5 Million Pounds of kibble and
309,000 Cans of wet food distributed to dogs and cats
150,000 Dogs and Cats received a 30-day supply of food
45,000 Families assisted in keeping their pets at home
928 Volunteers generously donated their time, adding up to
17,537 Hours of Service, equates to
$602,558 Donated toward keeping families together
($34.36 per hour in Colorado via Independent Sector in 2023)

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Doubled warehouse space in Cortez to be more efficient with transporting pet food to Southwest Colorado, reducing our carbon footprint and better preparing for winter months
Rescued 1.5 Million pounds of pet food from people, businesses, and pet food brands that may have been destined for landfills, to help feed pets-in-need
Partnered with Food Bank of the Rockies to move almost 100,000 lbs of pet food each year to the Western Slope in their trucks with available pallet space.
Collected thousands of pet related supplies and streamlined them into the hands of over 100 animal welfare organizations in Colorado, through our Animal Welfare Share Program.

BUILDING EFFICIENCIES WITHIN ANIMAL WELFARE

It costs $200-$2,000 for an animal shelter or rescue to re-home a pet. Colorado Pet Pantry helps beloved pets stay with their people so shelters and rescues can focus on truly homeless pets.
Our Animal Welfare Share Program is a hub for donated dog and cat supplies, allowing animal rescues, shelters, low-cost veterinary services, and other animal welfare organizations the ability to reduce the amount spent on items like pet beds, collars, leashes, crates, kennels, bowls, and prescription pet food, saving these items from landfills, and saving funds for other much-needed services, such as vet care.

Client Stories – Lisa and Velcro

Lisa adopted sweet Velcro as a kitten. Dirty and alone, she took Velcro in and it was love at first sight. “She’s my joy to celebrate successes, and the door greeter welcoming any and all guests. Every day I thank the Universe for bringing her into my life.”

As Velcro grew up, Lisa learned her little body required a special, very expensive, prescription food to stay healthy. Due to the amazing donations by our generous pet food donors, Colorado Pet Pantry typically has this type of food on-hand. “It is very expensive but necessary to prevent her from getting sick. I can’t thank Colorado Pet Pantry enough for providing this cat food in a time when affording rent has become very overwhelming. Basic necessities are a struggle, and I am honestly not sure what I would have done to provide Velcro with her prescription food.”

Colorado Pet Pantry is a supplemental pet food assistance program. Offering pet food to our clients every other month enables us to lift a huge financial burden that furry friends can have on a monthly budget.

In 2022, Colorado Pet Pantry provided almost seven million meals to families across Colorado. It is our honor to be able to offer this service to so many community members.

Client Stories: Dawn, Brave, Zeke & Kalos

“Sometimes the most overlooked family members during any divorce can be people’s pets.”

In April 2022, Dawn and her family had 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 goats and 28 chickens. Due to financial stress from a divorce, Dawn could no longer afford to care for all of her animals. She had to make the heartbreaking decision to re-home her goats, chickens and one of her house cats. Dawn learned about Colorado Pet Pantry’s SECOR pet food bank in Parker, Colorado, in August of 2022. With the help of our pet food assistance program, Dawn and her son, Levi, have been able to keep and care for their cat, Brave, and their retired livestock guardian dogs, Zeke and Kalos.

“My son and I are both thrilled that we have been able to continue to love and enjoy our remaining animals. They are thriving on the generous donations from Colorado Pet Pantry. I’m so grateful for every bag and can of food that the Pet Pantry has provided. Though we are uncertain of the future, we are grateful to be able to do life with our furry family members. Kalos alerts me when my blood sugar is low, and, Zeke and Brave can tell when we need a bit of comfort. I’m grateful that with the help of Colorado Pet Pantry, I’ve been able to keep my dogs and my sweet cat Brave, after losing my goats.”

Pets need every chance possible to stay in their forever homes with the humans who love them. Our goal at Colorado Pet Pantry, is to keep pets with their families. With the help of our supporters, we provide supplemental pet food assistance to cover the gap when housing costs, inflation, medical expenses, vet care, job loss, underemployment, or divorce, chip away at the resources people need to feed their pets.