Behind The Scenes: How We Feed Plymouth's Pets

You may see us handing out pet food and supplies at one of our (very busy!) pet food pantries—but what you don’t always see is the incredible amount of work that happens behind the scenes to keep these pantries running, our shelves stocked, and our mission alive.

This week, we’re excited to give you a closer look at the work that powers Plymouth Helping Hands for Animals. Thanks to our tireless volunteers, generous donors, and dedicated community sponsors, we’ve established Pet Food Pantries at three critical locations:

American Legion Post 40

The Center for Active Living/Council on Aging

Plymouth Family Resource Center

These pantries are more than just shelves of food—they’re lifelines for local families and their beloved pets. Every can, bag, and treat represents peace of mind for a pet owner facing financial hardship, and a full belly for a four-legged friend.

What It Really Takes: A Day in the Life of Our Volunteers

Setting up these pantries didn’t happen overnight. Behind each location is a small army of passionate, compassionate individuals who keep everything running smoothly—all out of love for local pets in need. Every week, our team works tirelessly to ensure no pet goes without essential food, supplies, or care.  

Here’s what that looks like:

Sourcing food and supplies – We build relationships with generous corporate partners like the Stop & Shop Distribution Center, Pet Supplies Plus, Tractor Supply Co., and the Plymouth Area Coalition. We seek out and secure donations, lock in discounted vendor pricing, and ask corporations to contribute directly to our mission.

Receiving and managing donations – We unload truckloads, sort supplies, and break down large bags of pet food into manageable, pantry-ready (and cost efficient) portions.

Packaging, labeling, organizing – Every donation is carefully packaged, labeled, and stocked for delivery.

Loading and transporting – We load our vehicles, deliver supplies, and fully stock each pantry to ensure no one goes home empty-handed.

Staffing the pantries – Our volunteers warmly greet each visitor, answer questions, offer additional resources, and share in the joy of keeping beloved pets fed and cared for.

And on top of all that—every single week—we’re also:

Responding to urgent financial aid requests

Visiting veterinary clinics to pay bills on behalf of clients

Delivering pet food to homebound seniors

Providing emotional support to struggling pet owners 

Our volunteers are the unsung heroes. We couldn’t do this without you—thank you for giving your time, hearts, and hands to help local pets in need!

Deep Gratitude to Our Sponsors

To our incredible donors and sponsors—thank you for standing with us. Your generosity fills our shelves, fuels our outreach, and reminds struggling pet owners that they’re not alone. 

A Note From the Front Lines

Here’s the reality: We’ve reached an all-time high in emergency veterinary care expenses—and we’re also facing continually rising pet food costs. The demand is greater than ever, and it’s coming from every corner of our community.

We’re serving all local demographics—from seniors on fixed incomes to working families, veterans, single parents, and individuals simply trying to stay afloat. Since the pandemic, the cost of both pet food and veterinary care has risen significantly, and many are still struggling to recover.

We’re helping pets facing cancer, seizures, anxiety, and life-threatening infections. We’re supporting grieving owners as their pets cross the Rainbow Bridge. And we're showing up for people who feel overwhelmed, isolated, or scared—just trying to do what’s best for their animal companions. This is what community care looks like. But we can’t do it without you. 

If you believe in this work and want to be part of the village that makes it possible, please consider supporting our mission by:

Donating online (linked below)
Sponsoring a pet food pantry
Hosting a pet food drive at work or school
Becoming a monthly supporter

Your support helps us keep pets where they belong—at home with the people who love them.

Reminder: Pet Food Pantry Schedule

American Legion Post 40: Every Tuesday from 11am–1pm
Center for Active Living (CAL): 1st & 3rd Fridays from 11am–12:30pm
Plymouth Free Family Resource Center: 2nd Friday of every month from 10am–1pm

Free food, treats, and supplies for cats and dogs!