Partnering with Homeboy Industries to Help Pets In Need
Nearly a year into COVID-19, with many businesses still closed or operating with limited capacity, families across Los Angeles continue to struggle financially. In fact, food insecurity has more than doubled since 2019. This is especially true for many families in lower and moderate income communities, where family food insecurity is on the rise – and with it, pet food insecurity.
In May 2020, Michelson Found Animals launched Better Neighbor Project (BNP) which partners with human service organizations to deliver food and resources directly to families and pets in need. On January 30th, BNP partnered with Homeboy Industries, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and County Supervisor Hilda Solis to provide wellness services (i.e. microchips, vaccinations, flea/tick treatments, etc.), hygiene services (i.e. ear and teeth cleaning, nail trimming and other medical grooming as needed, etc.), spay/neuter, and pet food.
“My mother got laid off because she was working as a waitress“, says community member John Rodriguez. “This will alleviate us slightly. It will help our pocket books a little bit“. Stories like his are not uncommon. According to a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau released Jan 6, nearly 30 million adults reported that they had not had enough to eat in the last seven days.
“As we know, the economy has hurt many people”, says Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, who attended the event. “Pets are part of our family”, he continues, “that’s what helped everybody through the pandemic.” Through weekly pet pantries, and larger scale events like this, Better Neighbor Project has served over 20,000 pets in Los Angeles.
For more information about Better Neighbor Project, and where you can find pet resources near you in Los Angeles, visit betterneighborla.org.
Michelson Found Animals is a Division of Michelson Philanthropies. Michelson Philanthropies is a network of private operating foundations that creates transformative opportunities, makes positive impact investments, and fosters strategic partnerships supporting vulnerable or underserved communities. Reflecting the passions and interests of Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife, Alya Michelson, Michelson Philanthropies catalyzes sustainable, scalable, replicable solutions to a host of challenges facing society.
