Phone: 828 452 1329     Fax: 828 452 3751

www.hawapets.org

Serving the Community by Providing Low-cost Spay & Neuter Services

Press Release

December 29, 2009

Contact:  Penny Wallace, President – 828-400-6768 – penny.wallace@hawapets.org

Penny Wallace, president of HAWA reported today that HAWA’s Pet Food Program will have to cut the amount of pet food provided by their Pet Food Program in February 2010 without a large infusion of cash and/or pet food from the public.  “Last year the public responded wonderfully to our request for pet food.  Our individual donors provided over $4,000 in cash and over 57,000 pounds of pet food.  Three schools responded with pet food providing an average of 1,000 pounds of pet food each.  Many, many individuals dropped off pet food in large amounts and small amounts, most of them refusing to accept a receipt for their gifts.  The Kathleen F. Hoerber Memorial Foundation provided over 2,000 pounds of dog and cat food.  These gifts were coupled with grants from The Elinor Patterson Baker Foundation, Humane Society of the United States, Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains and Gannett Foundation.  The combined resources allowed us to continue to provide 1,600 pounds of pet food per week.  Despite these generous gifts we still needed to use an additional $6,700 of our unrestricted funds to provide the much needed pet food to Haywood Christian Ministries, Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains and The Baptist Relief Center food pantries that distribute the food to their clients,” she said.

“The pet food,” added Peggy, a HAWA volunteer, “distributed through this program helps our neighbors through tough times.  HAWA’s Pet Food Program means that they can spend their scarce funds on things other than expensive pet food.  Still, even with all our efforts, pets, including whole litters of kittens and puppies, are turned in to the county shelter every week simply because their owners cannot afford to keep them.”

HAWA needs at least $1,000 cash per month to fill in the gap between the current level of donations and current need.   “This year we do not have the resources to continue meeting the full need for this program without a significant increase in dollars and/or cat and dog food donations.  Otherwise, we will have to cut back drastically in February,” said Nancy Lux, HAWA’s Treasurer. 

“I would hate to do this.  Every time I visit the food pantries, workers and managers greet me with smiles and tales of how much the people they serve appreciate this help.  We’ll keep providing what we can as long as we can,” concluded Ms Wallace. 

Donations may be sent to HAWA, PO Box 992, Waynesville, NC  28786.  Cat and dog food donations can be dropped off at our office located at 145 Wall Street, Waynesville Monday through Thursday 10 a.m.  to 5 p.m.  For further information, call 828 452 1329.

You can also donate securely by internet through our website, www.hawapets.org or through Guidestar www.guidestar.org.

Haywood Animal Welfare Association, Inc. is a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit.  Gifts to HAWA are tax deductible under the IRS rules governing gifts to charities.  Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the Charitable Solicitation Licensing Section at 1-888-830-4989.  The license is not an endorsement by the state.