Help Colorado Pet Pantry continue to serve Northern Colorado

We are avidly looking for the right volunteer to help us continue to serve Northeastern Colorado. This could be you! Here are a few details of what we need. If you are interested to learn more, please reach out:

Tasks:

  • Pick up pet food from our warehouse in Englewood – this could happen the morning of the pet food bank or a day before, as decided with volunteer and warehouse staff
  • Colorado Pet Pantry warehouse staff will help you load pet food into the Colorado Pet Pantry van
  • You will drive the pet food to Greeley, approximately 1.5 hours North to Weld Food Bank, 1108 H Street and arrive by (or before) 8:30AM on the first Monday of every month.
  • Once there, you will meet your four or five Colorado Pet Pantry volunteers at Weld Food Bank and set up a table for pet food pantry clients to drive through and receive food for their dogs and cats. Colorado Pet Pantry has mastered this process and will train you on best practices to make the pet food pantry flow as easy as possible.
  • The pet food distribution is open to the public from 9AM to 11AM. You will serve pet food to the residents of Greeley and surrounding areas in an effort to help them keep their beloved pets in their homes and out of shelters.
  • At 11AM, you and your volunteers will pack up any remaining supplies into the van.

Importance of this role:
Colorado Pet Pantry is a statewide organization. Our Greeley pet food pantry is our Northern-most pet food pantry, covering the gap of land between Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Morgan, up North to the Wyoming border. This pantry reaches a host of rural communities in desperate need of pet food assistance.

With pet relinquishment at an all-time high, and many shelters reaching maximum capacity, it is essential that we continue to help this community. The Weld Food Bank Pet Food distribution began in March 2021. In our first distribution, we gave over 1,300 pounds of pet food to 46 families and their 108 pets. This location has since grown to distribute over 3,300 pounds of pet food to 101 families and their 373 pets, as of March of 2024. We are looking for a committed volunteer to help us continue this valued service to the Northeastern pet community in Colorado.

Qualifications:

  • Driver’s License with a clean record
  • Leadership skills
  • Great Team-worker
  • Compassion for animals and humans
  • Ability to repetitively lift 20-30lbs
  • Commitment once per month

Time Commitment: Approximately 7-8 hours total per month

  • 30 minutes to an hour at the warehouse getting the van all ready to go
  • 3-hour round trip driving to and from Englewood and Greeley
  • 3 hours setting up, distributing pet food, and breaking down pet food pantry supplies.

Training Opportunities:
 We will train the selected volunteer on all parts of this role. We will assist and accompany until this candidate feels completely comfortable doing things on their own.

Work Environment: 
Our Englewood Warehouse is a shared space with other human food bank partners. We have 2-3 staff at the warehouse at any time to assist with needs. At Weld Food Bank in Greeley, we will set up our pet food pantry in the parking lot, alongside the human food bank during their distribution day. This helps us make our services easier to access, and also provides us with the support of the human food bank staff, should we need anything during out pet food pantry.

Volunteer Perks:
 You get to interact directly with those who are impacted by our services. This is an incredibly rewarding experience. Dogs (and sometimes even cats) often attend the pet food pantry. We will supply you with a Colorado Pet Pantry T-Shirt and involve you in volunteer get-togethers, and appreciation events. Volunteering with Colorado Pet Pantry is a great way to be involved in animal welfare industry in a positive and uplifting way. Keeping families together is a win-win for all involved.

How to Apply:
 To apply for this position, please email your interest to volunteer@coloradopetpantry.org and we will reach out with the next steps.

Colorado Pet Pantry is only as strong as our volunteer force, and we have an amazing team. We are hoping that this opening will be the right opportunity for the right person to step up and make a difference in the lives of pets in Northeastern Colorado.









Hill’s Pet Nutrition Supports Colorado Pet Pantry

Over the last decade Hill’s Pet Nutrition has been a vital pet food donor to Colorado Pet Pantry. With thousands of pounds of pet food donated, they have consistently supported our organization. From puppy, to senior, canned and adult kibble, Hills has been supporting Colorado pet families in an amazing way.


We Love “I And Love And You”

“I and Love and You” was created in Boulder and has been a huge supporter for many years. When we called them a couple weeks ago to tell them we were very low on pet food, they jumped to assist us with a truck of donations.

During the month of January, I and Love and You has featured us as the “Rescue of the Month”! Thank you so much to this valued partner of Colorado Pet Pantry.

Supporting our food donors helps them to support Colorado Pet Pantry. Check your favorite store for their delicious and nutritious pet food selections!


Alamosa – Rescheduled to January 16th, 2024

Good Day Alamosa Clients,

This pet food bank will take place on January 16th, due to a snowstorm. We will distribute pet food on the 15th at Alamosa County Fairgrounds, 8784 Old Sanford Road from 12-2PM. You are eligible to receive food if you have not received pet food since October.

We are now operating on a “once every three months” policy due to a pet food shortage.

Thank you and stay warm,

Colorado Pet Pantry
303.818.0618
info@coloradopetpantry.org


Alert: WE NEED PET FOOD

Wet food, dry food, or canned – we need it.

Three years ago, when the world shut down for a pandemic, so did the pet food factories and their ingredient suppliers. Because Colorado Pet Pantry accepts large scale donations of short-dated pet food, it has taken three years for the effects of the shut down to reach us. The pet food that would have expired, literally does not exist, so the donations are nonexistent.

At our current capacity, with 100 pet food pantries, we need about 100,000 pounds of pet food to make it through each month. Our outlook on incoming large scale donations is bleak. We have asked every major pet food band out there for help (do you know anyone at any major pet food brands? If so please email us at info@coloradopetpantry.org we are open to any and all suggestions). Many have responded, but there is still a major shortfall in the amount of donations coming in and the amount we need.

Because of this shortfall, we are having to make drastic changes. Starting immediately, we are moving our pet food recipients to only receive food every three months (before it was every other month). This is a necessity if we want to continue helping as many people as possible.

What can you do to help?

Start a pet food drive in your community or place of business

  • Pet food drives are a great way to spread awareness about our organization, and provide a solution to our biggest problem – the need for more food donations. Colorado Pet Pantry started as a small community supported organization with just a few donation drop off stores. Our program only works if donations exist. And we need your help. Learn more here.

Network with your group

  • Do you know anyone who works for a pet food company? Or anywhere that we could source large-scale donations? We often partner with retail stores such as Costco, Target, Veterinary Clinics, etc. to accept any short-dated or damaged pet food bags. If you or someone you know works in a store that sells pet food, and has access to expiring pet food, please put us in touch by emailing info@coloradopetpantry.org!

Ultimately the pet food factories did start up again. The world got back to a new normal, and in the future, donations will exist. But right now, we need our community to help us bridge this gap.

Thank you, Your Friends at Colorado Pet Pantry