Christmas is Tomorrow. And a look back today. Because what we did then is what we do now. The names, the faces, they change. The need does not. Pride keeps it going.
The job, once a career, now gone. Unemployment, now gone too. Food stamps help but not nearly enough. And much of those food stamp benefits are used to create a lentil-yam stew from scratch. A special delicious stew for Meiko.
Because this 15 year-old incredibly dignified 100 pound yellow-orange fluffball chow-lab mix has been part of the family for 15 years. And the greatest worry right now is him. He is the soul of the family.
But he got sick and there were vet bills. Many vet bills. And those vet bills needed to be paid now, not later. To help stretch dollars, Meiko’s high-quality food was shifted to a lower quality. But now, for the first time ever, the money was gone. And Meiko had only enough kibble for just two more days. But he needed more than just his lentil-yam stew. And an empty food bowl does not fill itself.
Then Bronwyn heard about The Pongo Fund. This woman who loved her dog as much as anyone could love called us. She had done everything right but things still went wrong.
The Pongo Fund Emergency Kibble Response Team kicked into gear. We met Bronwyn, we were hopeful that Meiko would be there too but his legs no longer allowed him to take too many car rides. But just in case, in the back of the car was Meiko’s ramp. The ramp that provides this noble man the dignity to walk into the car on his own.
When Bronwyn met The Pongo Fund she could not have been more friendly or appreciative. The smile on her face was warm and genuine. Her thank you was sincere and she left with a little bounce in her step because she knew that Meiko had the food he needed for many more sunrises to come. And even though he was not there in person, you can see his fuzzy face on the phone.
That alone completed the picture for us.
Meiko is now a Pongo dog. He is one of us. We met. We helped. And we will help again as needed. And that lentil-yam stew? That will continue because it is Meiko’s favorite.
A proud woman going hungry so her 15 year-old gentleman of a dog does not. A 15-year-old much loved dog treated with dignity and respect when he needs it most. The Pongo Fund was there for both of them.
Christmas is tomorrow. If your life is fuller than most, if you have love in your heart and room to share, maybe you’d like to donate to help us to help others. Our secure donation link is here: https://www.thepongofund.org/contact/donation-page/ .
And this is why we Pongo.
Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org
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