Carolyn was toward the front of the line, so I asked her why she came so early; did she know that we didn’t open until noon? She said she did, but she arrived so early because it brought her joy. I didn’t understand; what part of waiting for 2.5 hours brought her joy? And she said all of it. I could see it in her eyes, but I still didn’t understand.

She said she spent the time thinking about her friends, and how much she looked forward to seeing them and their honest smiles. But still, why would she wait here for such a long time, only to be thinking about friends she could be with at that very moment?

But I had misunderstood.

Because when she spoke of her friends, I thought she meant people she’d known for years. People that were a regular part of her life. But the friends she spoke of, the friends she was thinking about, the friends that she looked forward to seeing…they were our Team Pongo Volunteers that run the pet food bank. People she knew only by the names on their nametags and their honest smiles. These were the friends that she was willing to wait 2.5 hours to see.

She said she felt impolite, leaving so quickly after getting her dog food. But she was always careful to say thank you, and let everyone know how much we meant to her. She said that these Sundays left her with a smile frozen into her face; we made her that happy. And when she got home, she and Harvey would have lunch.

I was curious and asked what they’d have for lunch? She looked at me and laughed, one of those laughs that you might only get to hear a few times in a lifetime. It was a real laugh, and it was loud. She said honey, Harvey’s lunch would be the food we’d just given her.

They had a ritual. She took the bags home and put them next to Harvey, and watched as his tail drummed thumpthumpthump, right on the bags. And then she’d carefully open one up, right at the corner, just enough to let a few kibble fall out. Then Harvey would carefully pick each one up and crunchcrunchcrunch until he’d gotten them all. I asked what she would eat, and she laughed that laugh again. She said that watching Harvey enjoy the food we’d provided her was all the nourishment she needed. And then they both took a nap.

So what kind of day was Sunday, February 28th, 2010?

It was the kind of day when we set another attendance record, as our guests patiently waited in a line that reached all the way to the corner and part way around the block. The kind of day when we provided nearly 16,000 Canidae, Felidae and Dogswell meals for the hungry pets of some 160 families. In just three hours.

It was the kind of day when Kathie Nelson, Executive Director of Oregon Spay/Neuter Fund, spent three hours in our lobby and walked away both thrilled and exhausted after 43 of our guests made the decision that very day to have their pets spayed and/or neutered.

It was the kind of day when Emilio DeBess, State of Oregon Public Health Veterinarian, spent his afternoon in our lobby speaking at length with every one of our guests that needed guidance, advice and compassion with health issues faced by their family pets.

And it was the kind of day when we nourished Carolyn’s soul by giving her dog food to feed her best friend Harvey.

It was a very good kind of day.

Thank you to our Team Pongo Volunteers Andrea, Becky, Bryan, Chelsea, Christina, Crystal, Dalene, Darla, Debbie, Doug, Emilio, Jim, Julie, Karen, Kathie, Katie, Kelly, Kim, Kristen, Larry, Laurie, Leslie, Lesley, Linda, Lori, the three Marks, Michelle, Mike, Nancy, Peggy, Sarah, Shannon, Stephanie, Tad & Tanya, for giving of themselves on this good day to make the community a better place. Without their kindness, respect and honest smiles, none of this would be possible.

Larry

Larry Chusid

Director, The Pongo Fund

She had no cat food and no money; payday was still two weeks away. And she was desperately worried about her young kittens Fireball and Creampuff. I explained that we’d be open next on the 14th, but she could not wait even a day more. I’d been at the pet food bank all morning dealing with emergency situations, and offered to drive back and meet her. But she had no way to get to us, so we needed some magic. And that’s exactly what we got.

I asked where she was located and the name of the nearest high quality pet food store. She told me about Creature Comforts in Oak Grove, Oregon, and I called immediately.      I spoke to John, and he said to have Kaylee come right over and he’d provide her with a supply of Felidae All Natural Cat Food. I called Kaylee right back, and within minutes she was on the bus to Creature Comforts.

Thirty minutes later she was on the phone, telling me how perfectly things had worked out. She could barely contain her emotions as she talked about having food for her little ones.

Two hungry kittens, an emergency call from Kaylee, a second call to John at Creature Comforts, a supply of Felidae, and thirty minutes later all is good. It had to be magic!

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All of us that were there will remember Sunday, January 24, 2010.

Because this was the day that our guests were lined up all the way around the corner as The Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank opened our doors to supply food for every single hungry pet that we possibly could; while nourishing their human families at the same time. And that meant in just three short hours we were honored to provide more than 13,000 quality meals for the 465 dog and cat family members of 135 families.

What began as an effort little more than two years ago to feed two hungry dogs underneath the Morrison Bridge has blossomed into Oregon’s largest single charitable effort dedicated to providing quality dog and cat food for the family pets of anyone in honest need; nearly 250,000 meals to date. Simply put, there were 465 dogs and cats that had excellent food for their Sunday night dinner thanks to our incredibly generous donors at Canidae All Natural Pet Foods and Dogswell.

But it’s really so much more than that. Because those 435 family pets belong to 135 families; families that often go to bed hungry because they feed their own dinner to their pets. But on this Sunday night they went to bed with the comfort of knowing that their family pets had also received a good dinner. And that there was still plenty of food left for breakfast, and for weeks after.

Our dedicated Team Pongo volunteers worked harder on this date than anyone would ever expect from a Sunday volunteer opportunity. And they share in the credit for this great day right along with each of the 135 families that stood in the rain because they love their pets like family. To Nancy, Kathy, David, Janet, Bryan, Kim, Jim, Tanya, Tad, Shannon, Michael, Crystal, Jody, Laura, Laurie, Stephanie, Christina, Nike, Becky, Greg, John, Michelle, Karen, Katie, Kelly, Lanna and Lesley…thank you for giving of your day and opening your hearts to treat each and every one of our guests with kindness and respect.

Because of you, it was an excellent day.

The following email was received from one of our Team Pongo volunteers; I think it sums things up well:

Dear Larry,

I just wanted to tell you my thoughts for the day. I have never before shared so many conversations with our recipients, and felt that today was the best day ever. One person shared how their pets had finally stopped panicking at feeding time; that their food hoarding and vomiting due to frenzy eating had stopped because they knew that tomorrow would bring more food. Another man without food cried and told me stories about how his two 14 year old cats depended on him and made him get out of bed every day and move forward even under tremendous challenges, and how fortunate he felt to receive food to feed them. Two people came in after having the hell kicked out of them by their abusers just the night before, just so that their animals were fed today. One lovely older woman teared up and confessed that she never thought that she would be in the situation that she is in today. Her son cried and thanked me for our assistance with pure blessings from his heart. They never saw their situation coming; going from affluence to assistance. But when they come here they’re treated with dignity. If I could tell you every story that I heard today I think you would understand that The Pongo Fund is on the right path and that we are fulfilling a special and much needed mission of our times. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.

SF

Thank you to everyone for caring about the hungry animals, and their people families too…Larry, Friend of Pongo

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”  Mohandas Gandhi

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