NEEDS pantry coordinators Maureen and Janie recently shared this wonderful story about a faithful NEEDS partner:

“Several years ago, we noticed that every time we served one particular man he asked for more tuna. We joked with him about his love of tuna, and it was then that he told us he fed what we gave him to his cats. It was one of those “lightbulb” moments for our pantry’s staff. Of course, if our neighbors needed emergency food support it was only logical that their pets would as well.

We contacted local pet stores to see if they would donate cat and dog food. Many could not. But Pet Supplies Plus in Blue Ash agreed, as did their store in Harper’s Point.

But it was meeting Laura Patt, manager of the chain’s store in Independence, Kentucky, that truly gave our efforts momentum. Laura happened to be on loan to the Blue Ash store one evening when we stopped for donations. On hearing the story of NEEDS and its mission, she said we should pick up at her store — a much larger one than our local stores — as she had a lot to give us. Since then, she has asked to display our brochure as well as a sign we’ve made to solicit pet food donations.

This photo is from a recent pickup at Laura’s store in Independence, and features one of her employees. In the last week of September alone, she has generated an additional three SUVs — totally full of donations — to NEEDS and the people we serve. Those, again, came from the Blue Ash store where we first met her.

Thank you, Laura, from the bottom of our hearts!”