Take it to the bank

Photo by jill russell

MARTHA MYERS, LINDA SANTOS AND CAROL O’SHEA STAND AMONG DOG FOOD AT THE 4F PET FOOD BANK SITE.

Ten years ago, Carol O’Shea realized that she needed help feeding her four cats.

“They are my babies,” the 70-year-old Tacoma resident said.

She turned to the Seniors with Pets Assistance Program, which provided needed pet food and support.

“I don’t know what I would do without the organization,” O’Shea commented.

Fast-forward to 2008 and the program that provided pet owners with assistance was under threat of closure, due to the program coordinator’s pending retirement and financial struggles to keep the service afloat.  

That is where Martha and Martin Myers entered the picture.

The couple took over the Seniors with Pets Assistance Program that same year, gave it a new name and connected it to the non-profit Orting Food Bank.

The 4F – Food for Four-Legged Friends continues the tradition of feeding pets belonging to low-income seniors throughout Pierce County. The bank collects pet food from donors and distributes it once per month at their walk-in location or makes special residential deliveries to those who are immobile.

Coordinator Martha Myers, an avid animal lover, says she was inspired to take over the ailing Seniors with Pets Assistance Program about two years ago, after hearing about pet food shortages across the state.

Since taking over in 2008, Myers has maintained the bank’s current level of service for the entire county through the help of donations and volunteers.

“We’re 100 percent volunteer and donation driven,” Myers said.

Last year, Myers, her husband, Martin, and about 20 volunteers collected and distributed three tons of pet food to low-income residents living countywide.

“It’s really been a grassroots effort,” volunteer Linda Santos said.

The threat of closure is looming again on the pet food bank, Myers noted. With a weak economy, the bank’s organizers have seen a decrease in the amount of donations (especially cat food), but an increase in the number of people seeking services.

Last May, volunteers delivered food to 159 clients, which included 142 dogs and 378 cats. Myers said the bank received about three new calls per day from pet owners seeking assistance.

“We’re really running month to month at this point,” Myers said. “We see how important animals are for the clients we serve. A lot of people live for their animals.”

Many members of the community have been supportive of 4F. Youth groups, including the Annie Wright School Girl Scout troop, have volunteered their time and raised money for the bank. Tacoma business owner Sally Andrews donated extra space in her location for storing the bank’s inventory. Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Tacoma hosts an annual pet food drive and fair, which helps restock the bank’s shelves. The next fair is scheduled in September.

However, with all this community support, Myers says the bank is still struggling to serve its Pierce County clients. She hopes to keep 4F open with donations and continued community support.

“Animal lovers are a different breed,” Myers said. “It’s heartbreaking if people can’t take care of their pets.”

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