Owning a pet can be quite costly. Annually, dog owners may spend between $250 to $700 on food, while cat owners might shell out around $120 to $500. Despite the expense, many of us willingly invest in our pets because of the joy and companionship they bring into our lives.
However, for some, managing these costs can be challenging, no matter how much they love their pets. This is where Kenneth and Jill Gonsalves stepped in to help.
Kenneth once witnessed a man at a store struggling to gather enough change to buy pet food. Moved by the situation, Kenneth offered to buy the man some extra pet food. But later that evening, he couldn’t shake the thought that the man might be facing even bigger struggles, such as affording food for himself.
Kenneth shared the experience with his wife, Jill, and they immediately felt compelled to take action. By December 2020, they transformed a farm stand into a community pet food pantry where anyone in need could take what they needed or leave what they could.
Jill recalls, “Many might have seen that man counting change and perhaps even helped him out, like my husband did. But only someone like Kenneth would turn that moment into something much bigger, leading to the creation of our pantry.”
Initially, the couple stocked the pantry with pet food they purchased themselves, spending a few hundred dollars. To spread the word, they set up a Facebook page and shared their efforts on local community groups like Buy Nothing.
“At the start, we weren’t sure if people would even use the pantry,” Jill admits. “We just hoped to help folks get through the holidays.”
Word quickly spread, and soon donations started pouring in. Before they knew it, the Gonsalves were returning home to find their pantry overflowing with contributions from the community.
Jill reflects, “We've distributed thousands of pounds of food. Orders from our Amazon Wish List alone brought in hundreds of pounds of dry food, cases of canned food, and countless toys and treats. And that’s not even counting the many drop-offs, online orders, and monetary donations we’ve received.”
The couple also received numerous thank-you notes from those they helped. One note expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to thank you for helping us feed our pets. My husband and I both lost our jobs recently, and we’re hoping for better days ahead.”
Another person wrote, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ve been out of work for over a month, and things have been tough. Thanks to generous people like you, my pet can continue to eat, and it brings me peace.”
Jill believes that the pantry’s setup as a farm stand allows people to feel more comfortable. She notes, “One visitor told us how much they appreciated being able to browse without feeling watched, which is something we’ve worked to maintain.”
While the Gonsalves don’t know exactly how many people they've helped, they are confident that their pantry has made a difference. “We’ve had regular visitors since the beginning and others who come a few times before moving on,” Jill explains. “We hope that those who don’t return no longer need our help. In the end, the goal is for no one to need us at all.”