Two years ago a small-sized but bigger-than-life 14-month old sweet girl living in a little box with four tiny tot puppies had their lives changed forever when they were rescued by The Pongo Fund. Although their circumstances were not ideal these four little balls of fur with their sharp teeth and tiny tongues were loved. Not just by their Mom, but by the two homeless people dedicated to their care.

So before I say anything else, I first want to salute and thank the young homeless couple that despite their own daily challenges made sure to give their four-legged family the very best care they could give. And I ask you to please join me in sending them love. For they still had many rough roads ahead of them.

The story was not easy. A homeless couple selling puppies in a box next to a bridge on-ramp. Sadly, something that happens far too often somewhere every day. Luckily this story turned out different.

Because after several visits from The Pongo Fund this young couple made the best decision and surrendered those five dogs to us. Five dogs. One box. All saved together.

We are happy to report that this wonderful mama dog lives the best life ever. Running and playing and living large. And every single moment she is Loved. Loved. Loved. And then she is loved some more.

Five of the many thousands of lives that The Pongo Fund has saved and changed. All with your help. All thanks to you.

One box. Five lives. Five saved forever.

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

Sometimes the calls come faster than we can respond. Recently there were many calls about a man at a freeway exit with a sign requesting dog food. Several people notified The Pongo Fund to see if we could help. We checked on the man and found we already knew him. He regularly received food from The Pongo Fund and had no further need at the time.

But he was embarrassed for using the sign requesting dog food that he did not currently need. This is not a time to criticize because there was little question that he had other needs. And if the money helped him get breakfast or new shoes or dog treats then that’s great. But we wanted him to change his sign so that people did not continue to worry about his dog.

After a short chat he agreed to do so. And he sincerely apologized for misleading people. Petting his dog softly while he apologized.

But on the way back we found a young girl at another less visible location with another sign. Her sign had no words. She was just beginning to write it and said she did not yet know what to say.

Because she said asking for help was not as easy as it may look. So the first thing she did, before she wrote any words, was push a single flower through a small hole in the sign so everyone passing by would see it. She was young, ashamed and reluctant to talk for fear she would be criticized.

She explained that she had not been in Portland long but was concerned for her safety. And she did not want us to take any photos, almost moved to tears when she saw I had my camera.

I’m not sure how long she’d been in that location or how long she’d been traveling. I could tell she was tired and worried. And I hoped deeply that whatever it was that caused her to run would someday no longer be there so that she and her dog could find peace.

We were not with her long. But it was long enough to be reminded of how fortunate we are to have life’s basic needs met. To have peace and warmth and comfort and food and the same for our dogs. Because this girl did not.

Yet instead of complaining she endured. And she did so quietly, almost gracefully. Thinking about her sign while sitting alongside her dog, who was busy thwack thwack thwacking his tail bouncing back and forth off my leg. He was such a happy guy. He had floppy ears and a gentle mouth. And he loved having his neck scratched so much that he flopped straight down when I found the right spot.

A wonderful dog taking the best care of his friend who needed him. And he made me even happier to see that he had been neutered.

Because of this young girl’s efficient packing style she had room for a new sleeping bag, blanket and some other more personal belongings too. And she was also given a special list of contact numbers to call to help her find a safe place to sleep for both her and her dog.

There was no way to know if she would use that list. But when I went back the next night she was not there. Her camp was clean. Not a trace.

A young girl and a young dog. Alone together. Sharing a word, a moment and a flower.

And this is why we Pongo.

(photo of dog is not the dog I met. The dog that I met is older but they had the same soulful eyes and same floppy ears)

The scabby sores and the itchy inflamed pink skin were not good. And you can’t see them because they were purposely left out of the photo. Because that’s not the way this sweet guy would want to be remembered. There’s no way he’d want everyone to know the agony he was in. So let’s give him that respect and instead focus on his sweet smooshy Beagle face instead.

Because this little 7 year-old Scooby doppelganger named Spud was such a happy boy. And he could also be a poster dog for The Pongo Fund. Such a strong reminder of why we do the work we do.

Because Spud’s Dad had a good job. But due to some other serious money emergencies involving other family members the dollars ran out and that meant everyone, including Spud, was living on nothing for another week. And for Spud and the agony he was in, that was really bad news. And it was breaking his parent’s heart.

Their call came late on a Saturday afternoon. A message left on our voicemail. The message was crystal clear, made even more clear by the distressed tone of the caller. A man that was scared, sad and running out of options as he watched his beloved Spud suffering.

Luckily a local emergency animal hospital referred him to The Pongo Fund. And that’s when we went to work on Project Spud. Because thanks to people like Janet and Sara and Bev and Kris and a handful of others, The Pongo Fund has a small emergency veterinary care fund ready to help in emergencies.

There’s not a lot there. But luckily every time we’ve needed it there’s been enough to save a life. Like Spud.

A quick call back confirmed what was needed and that it was needed fast. The late Saturday afternoon time was working against us as was the anguish of the caller. Because while we are unable to diagnose we can certainly understand the urgency of the situation and certain key words tell us when things need attention right away. And this did.

Luckily this was the time that everything came together fast. The call to the veterinarian brought Spud what he needed in less than an hour. And after the vet visit Spud and his parent’s met our emergency kibble response team at The Pongo Fund for a special Saturday Pongo visit.

They left with a big bag of great food, along with the meds needed and a list of other items helpful to get this little guy back on the road to recovery.

People that have everything going for them and then, all at once, things change. And when they go bad, they go bad fast. It could be any one of us. And no matter how carefully we plan for emergencies, sometimes those emergencies can be more than any of us can prepare for.

Because when the money is gone, even small emergencies get big fast. And that’s when beloved Beagles need us most.

This one worked out ok. Because The Pongo Fund’s Emergency Veterinary Care Fund was there to help.

Bringing comfort to a little Beagle friend with great big ears named Spud and the family that loves him.

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Go Spud! thepongofund.org

1/19/2015. Martin Luther King Day. His poignant words spoken from the heart still echo today. More appreciated than ever. More needed than ever. For two and four legged alike.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

Next Monday January 19th. For many a day off to relax and shop. Because there’s lots of sales on MLK Day. But for some reason I don’t think that’s what Martin Luther King Jr. had in mind when he dedicated his life to helping others.

But Monday isn’t even the day. It’s today. This very day. January 15th.

Because this is the day 86 years ago that a man was born that gave his all in more ways than most of us will ever know. For people. For animals. For humanity. I’m not a Martin Luther King scholar. But I respect his efforts to make life better for all. It is a dream that still burns true today. Black. White. Grey. Green. Orange. Blue. Yellow. Red. All those colors and more. None were excluded.

His voice was silenced but his words were not. For all of us. Without definition. Today. And every day.

Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

Batman. Superman. Ghost Busters. Who you gonna call? At The Pongo Fund we call Ben. But because he’s only 7 we can’t call too late. But when we do call he always answers.

He’s interrupted ski trips and school work and nap time and play dates to help us. He is absolutely one of our most consistent donors. But he gives more than money. He gives hope. And love. And kibble.

We thank him every chance we can. And he takes those thanks in stride. I think he knows he’s doing something exceptional. But he just kind of shrugs it off and gets ready for the next time. Because he’s been doing this work of giving for almost half his life now. And he knows there will always be a next time.

Before Ben was 7 he was 6. And before that he was 5. And that’s when this young philanthropist first began his charitable giving. And since that day when he first appeared at The Pongo Fund and presented us with a hefty check he’s become a cornerstone of our work.

Just like our good friend Howard, Ben is one of our most dedicated donors. But he does it with heart that belies his years. He gives his money and he gives his time to help make life better for other people. Young Ben is an old soul.

We saw him just about a week ago when he arrived bearing great kibble that he said was donated by his own dog. Because even his dog knows that there are other dogs going hungry. And because of the bitter cold weather Ben also arrived with several hundred dollars to be used to buy coats and gloves for the people living outside. Seven years old. That’s what he is. Seven!

The tide of The Pongo Fund rises on the shoulders of this young man. He carries us high and in his heart. Leading with a smile that spreads joy everywhere he goes.

Ben is a true example of Mother Teresa’s words: “It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” Because boy oh boy, Ben puts his love into everything he does.

And we are so deeply lucky to count him as a friend.

Ben!

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Ben rocks! thepongofund.org

January 4, 2015. Let’s begin the New Year with a moment of gratitude. Because we all deserve to celebrate good things together. Not just today. But everyday. Particularly with so much bad in the world. So much strife and conflict and pain and suffering. We all face it. We all feel it. And no place and no one is immune.

Sometimes we forget the good. That to have another day is a blessing. So won’t you please join all of us at The Pongo Fund in this moment of gratitude? Of thankfulness. Of appreciation. Of joy.

A moment for you and for us and for all the animals. Because what we feel in these moments we feel together.

And there is no better time than this moment to offer some extra heartfelt gratitude to our dear friend Howard Hedinger. He’s the ageless and handsome man in the photo. We’ve talked about him before but the truth is there’s just no shortage of good things to say about him. He’s been part of The Pongo Fund since the beginning. And he’s still right there with us now.

And as he’s done for the last several years he’s once again brightened our New Year by doing something extra special for us. And for the people and the pets that count on us.

He feels the joy of others deep inside his own heart. And when he does something to bring that joy and that love to someone that needed to feel it, he feels it even more. He’s part of it. He’s connected to it. He delivers it.

Sometimes in words. Sometimes with a smile. Sometimes hidden with an anonymous gift to help those unsuspecting.

But the end result is always the same. There is more love. There is more joy. There is more grace. There is more kindness. There is more gratitude. All because of this man.

Howard is the sprinkles on the cupcake. He’s the confetti. He’s the rainbow. He’s an extra-special good guy!

If only there were more Howard’s in the world. If only.

With gratitude to Howard. And to each and every one of you too. From all of us at The Pongo Fund.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org

My name is Larry Chusid. I am the founder and executive director of The Pongo Fund. And Pongo was my dog. I work for the day when no dog or cat goes hungry because their families are temporarily unable to keep them fed. Thereby preventing the hunger, suffering, abandonment, surrender and loss of the animals they love.

Our award-winning and volunteer driven public charity has donated more than seven million meals to date throughout Oregon & SW Washington, helping more than 70,000 animals stay at home with their families and out of the shelters. I am honored to do this work.

But in order to love me as a friend or even like me as a person you must understand that animals are the best part of my life. And that my heart is broken time and time and time again for those animals that are not treated with compassion and respect.

For those that do not know kind words and gentle hands. For those that are abused, that suffer and that live in fear. For those that recoil at the hand reaching out to pet them for fear it will hurt them.

At my core I believe that every animal is deserving of good food, clean water, sincere affection, humane care and a safe and stable environment. Not just occasionally, but always.

And I believe that Gandhi was right when he said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

Today is January 1st, 2015. The first day of a New Year. A new beginning. A new chapter filled with all the things that we can do and should do to make life better for the animals.

And I make a wish that this year will bring each and every one of you a safe, healthy and happy year to come.

And I make that same wish for all of the animals too. Whatever they are. Wherever they are. I wish them an abundance of life. I wish for them to be safe and well. I wish for them to know the same love and respect from us that we know from them.

My name is Larry Chusid and I am proud that the animals are my friends. They make my life better. And I wish them always Peace, Love and Kibble.

And I invite you to join with Scooby and I in making this a great year for the animals.

Happy New Year from all of us at The Pongo Fund.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. For the animals. thepongofund.org

It’s the last day of 2014. And you’ll need to sit down when you read this. Five years ago The Pongo Fund opened our doors for the first time. Pam Bartel was the first guest to receive food that day.

She and her husband had lost good paying jobs and were facing foreclosure. They’d already given up so much. But giving up their pets Fuzzy the dog and Spaghetti the cat, pets they had adopted years earlier from a local shelter, was even more frightening.

And that’s what brought them to our door. To stand in line for free pet food. A few minutes later while loading large bags of dog and cat food into the trunk of her car, Pam cried tears of happiness.

Since that day we’ve been there another 7,000,000 times. SEVEN MILLION! To provide 7,000,000 nutritious meals for 70,000 hungry and starving pets. Pets that are family. Pets that stayed out of shelters. Pets that are deeply loved by people that turned to The Pongo Fund for the help they could not get anywhere else.

And we’ve helped provide veterinary care and spay and neuter for more than 1,000 of them, too.

Five years later we’re still here doing the work that no one else does. Staying focused and true to our mission while embracing new opportunities to expand our vision. Forever finding ways to do more for those with less. Making an impact beyond expectation.

And viewed as a national model for new ways to both reduce shelter populations and to help both people and their pets. Simultaneously. Because by helping one, we really do help both.

But sometimes it’s hard to tell people what The Pongo Fund does. To explain what The Pongo Fund means. To describe the work we do and why we do it. We’re a small-but-mighty volunteer driven group that has no marketing or fundraising or public relations staff to tell our story. We operate with just one paid employee.

We help animals when their own families are temporarily unable to keep them fed. Dogs. Cats. Feral cats. City cats. Horses, too. Service dogs. Seizure dogs. Hearing dogs. Even Guide dogs.

We help beloved animals that belong to seniors and veterans and the mentally and physically disabled. Both the employed and unemployed. We help young children whose only reliable friend is their dog or cat. And we help street kids all across the community. Because their pets are frequently the only family they have left.

We work with caseworkers from the Department of Human Services and many other agencies to aid their most fragile clients. We help single moms, couples, families and far too often we’re called upon to help victims of domestic violence that sometimes have had almost everything beaten out of them save for the love of their animals.

We rescued a dog named Dutch unintentionally left locked inside a truck when his truck driver dad Francis faced emergency surgery. Reuniting both 10 days later in a heartwarming story followed by nearly one million people.

And we were there to comfort a broken-hearted octogenarian when both his elderly wife and elderly cat died within days of one another. He said he wanted to honor them but could not afford to donate money. So we brought bags of kibble to his home and worked with him so he could honor their memories by being part of our kibble packing team. Maybe the most loved kibble we’ve ever packed.

We helped a young homeless couple make the tough decision to give up a momma dog and her four-week old puppies. A doting momma and four little tiny pups all living together inside a cardboard box inside a shopping cart.

We helped them understand that selling their puppies on a bridge ramp was not the right thing to do. The momma dog, all of 14 months old at the time and still really just a puppy herself, now lives in the lap of love seven days a week. And each one of those puppies was adopted into new loving homes. But first each of them received vet care, vaccinations and were spayed.

We were there to hike into the forest to bring much needed food and hope to a group of veterans who had given up on everything except their wits and their pets. Angry and suspicious, they still welcomed us with hugs and smiles.

And we were there when one of our guests suffered a seizure on one of our Pongo Sundays, right there in our lobby. And in the blink of an eye one of our team, an experienced physician’s assistant, rushed to stabilize, treat and comfort the stricken guest. She stayed with her until she was ok and then quietly returned to her other Pongo duties.

And we pulled out every stop imaginable to help a woman on her way to commit suicide after giving up the dog she loved but could no longer afford to feed. We knew she was serious when she told us exactly how she was going to end her life.

But thanks to the crisis training of one of our volunteers, we were ready to help because we knew there would not be another chance. And both are doing well today, happy and healthy together.

And we were there to fight for The Howard 22, a group of 22 starving horses that had done nothing wrong except find themselves without food due to an extra rough winter.

We’ve set up pet food bank distribution in dozens of locations, including some of Oregon’s largest human food pantries including Snowcap Charities, Neighborhood House, Union Gospel Mission, Clackamas Service Center and more.

And numerous groups including Oregon Food Bank, Meals-On-Wheels, Oregon Humane Society, Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital, Oregon Department of Human Services, Home Forward, Central City Concern, Department of Veterans Affairs and dozens more all rely on us when their own clients need pet food. Even suicide crisis lines turn to The Pongo Fund for help when their callers have pets.

That’s five years of doing the lifesaving work that no one else is doing. Saving more lives than anyone ever thought possible. Work that we’ve been fortunate to do only because of you.

Together we have given a chance to animals that might not otherwise have a chance and together we have given hope to families that have little else to be hopeful for. Because sometimes a simple bowl of kibble is the force that both keeps a family together and saves the lives of the animals they love.

Being there. Just being there. And we thank you for being there with us. Because we couldn’t do it without you.

And this is why we Pongo.

Today is the last day of 2014. The last day you can make a charitable donation and receive a 2014 tax deduction. The last day of the year to make a difference.

And we hope that you will help us prepare for 2015 with your gift today. Even better, by giving today your gift will be doubled by a group of generous donors.

We have two secure giving links:

• https://giveguide.org/#thepongofund
• https://www.thepongofund.org/contact/donation-page/

“If you cannot feed 100, then feed just one.” — Mother Teresa

With gratitude from all of us at The Pongo Fund.

Because YOU are why we Pongo!

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Give Today. thepongofund.org

Kiddos. Kidlets. Little humans. Half pints. Tiny tots. Munchkins. Small fries. They see it all and they hear it all and they feel it all. Even if they don’t know it yet.

For some wonderful reason The Pongo Fund has become a safe haven for children. And that’s something we never expected. Because standing in line at a pet food bank would normally not be a family activity. But for many of our guests that’s exactly what it’s become. When parents bring their kiddos with them.

Sometimes because they have no choice. But more often because they do. And they choose Pongo. For the entire family.

Because The Pongo Fund has unexpectedly become their family’s spoonful of sugar in their fight against hunger. To feed both stomach and soul. By being there to give them something they cannot get anywhere else. Nutritious pet food for the animals they love. Because pets are family too.

We worried about them because we wanted them to never feel the pain of standing in line for food. We worried about them because we wanted them to be protected from life’s inequities for as long as possible. We worried about them because they’re just kids.

But one by one their parents told us it was ok. They told us that what we do is filled with such kindness and love that they wanted to bring their children along. To let them be part of something real. That coming to The Pongo Fund is a family outing just like other families might go shopping or to the movies.

And what once broke our collective heart now brings some of our greatest joy. Because if these young kiddos learn compassion at such as early age, just think how much good they will bring to the world as they get older? And maybe….just maybe…they will remember their Pongo Sundays.

Those Sundays when standing in line for great dog or cat food also included getting kisses from the world’s sweetest pit bull named Luna. She’s the dog in the photo. And she’s 100% sweetness.

Those Sundays when they laughed and smiled. Those moments in time when they giggled from their many sloppy Luna kisses. Those Sundays. Because wouldn’t it be wonderful if they remembered those Sundays with love?

And when they are older maybe they will be first in line to help the next family in need? Because they will remember what it was like to have someone else help them.

Thanks to our Secret Pongo Angels, people that donate to The Pongo Fund to help the kids, this holiday season The Pongo Fund quietly made sure that some of our community’s most fragile children found some extra wonderful gifts just for them. Books. Sweaters. Shoes and socks. Hats. Gloves. Some things basic. Some things fun. The only thing we missed was hearing the laughter that followed.

Because the laughter of a child may simply be one of the most beautiful symphonies ever.

Today is Sunday, December 28, 2014. And in just a few hours The Pongo Fund will open our doors for the last Pongo of 2014.

Being there for the kids. And the pets they love.

And this is why we Pongo.

Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. Laugh. thepongofund.org