We all know that times are tough. Even tougher still for some of us more than others, particularly now during the holidays. The very special time of year that draws family even closer together, lending support wherever possible. And for many, that biggest burst of support comes from the wagging tail of the family pet.

How terribly hard it would be to not be able to afford the food that your four-legged family needs. Forget the Wii, the iPod, the iPad and the Gameboy. Just a bag of kibble. That’s all. Just a bag of kibble.

The Pongo Fund began by providing food for the pets of Portland’s homeless. And in just our first year we have donated more than ONE MILLION meals for the hungry family pets of anyone in honest need. Not just the homeless, but anyone. Because it could be any one of us.

Recently our friends at the Marion-Polk Food Share needed some extra help. This group is a part of the Oregon Food Bank Network and serves as Oregon’s Regional Food Bank for Marion and Polk counties, serving the residents of some 26 different cities.

The holidays are here, and they do not have even one kibble to spare. Not one. Feeding the family without feeding the family pets is not right. And most folks would end up feeding their own dinner to their animals. They needed help, and they needed it now.

The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank did what we’ve done so many times before when time is of the essence. Our call to our friends at TP Freight Lines brought a truck to our loading dock, ready to donate their services to haul food to Salem. Our forklift on loan from the generous folks at PAPE Material Handling did the heavy work, and in short order some two tons of premium pet food was on the road south.

The Pongo Fund works daily to ensure that no family pet goes hungry. And tonight, our four-legged friends in two more Oregon counties are enjoying an excellent dinner because of the vital work that we do.

To everyone that makes these miracles possible, The Pongo Fund says thank you.

Every day is a good day for The Pongo Fund as our Pet Food Bank continues doing everything that we can to ensure that no family pet ever goes to bed hungry. So far we have risen to the challenge, having donated more than ONE MILLION meals just this year.

As a micro-sized non-profit public charity we barely have a fraction of the budgets of the bigger organizations. Meaning that we must treat every single dollar as precious because we never know when or where the next dollar is coming from.

The challenge for us was how to get a load of pet food to our friends at Linn-Benton Food Share. This group is a part of the Oregon Food Bank Network and serves as Oregon’s Regional Food Bank for Linn and Benton counties, providing emergency food service to struggling families living in 19 different cities.

After having paid for the pet food, we had no money left to pay for the freight to ship it south. As is so often the case when someone learns about The Pongo Fund, good people rush in to help. In this case it was our new friends at TP Freight Lines.

We were all smiles as they arrived at our warehouse after generously offering to donate their freight services so that we could help even more hungry pets throughout Oregon. As they pulled away we knew it would just be a matter of hours before tails would be wagging in Corvallis, Albany, Philomath, Scio, Waterloo and surrounding areas, as TP Freight Lines would soon be delivering nearly 4,000 lbs of premium quality pet food to Linn-Benton Food Share.

The Pongo Fund works daily to ensure that no family pet goes hungry. And tonight, our four-legged friends in 19 more Oregon cities have a chance to enjoy an excellent dinner because of the vital work that we do.

Just another example of why it’s always a good day at The Pongo Fund!

Today was another milestone for The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank as we shipped nearly two tons of premium quality pet food to the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council in The Dalles. This group is a part of the Oregon Food Bank Network and serves as Oregon’s Regional Food Bank for Hood River, Sherman & Wasco counties.

Shannon, Tad and Larry were on hand to greet Mike and his good buddy Apollo, a 2 year-old rescue that joined him for the two hour drive to Portland. In short order we got their truck loaded with nearly 4,000 lbs of premium quality pet food; food that will be the lifeline for hundreds of financially strapped families and their family pets. The best highlight occurred just before they left, as Apollo enjoyed a selection of treats and gave kisses to everyone.

The Pongo Fund works daily to ensure that no family pet goes hungry. And tonight, our four-legged friends in three more Oregon counties are enjoying an excellent dinner because of the vital work that we do.

It was a very good day!