Pet Community Center Receives National Recognition, $10,000 Grant for Its Work in Helping Struggling Families Feed Their Pets

NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville’s Pet Community Center has received national recognition for its work in helping struggling families feed their pets.  Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States, has selected Pet Community Center as the recipient of a $10,000 grant to support PCC’s Food Security Program. The grant, which will be used to purchase much-needed food for its pet food bank, will allow Pet Community Center to expand its outreach and community impact. 

Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States, has committed $100,000 in grants to support local pet food support programs. These grants support Pets for Life, Humane World for Animals’ program that addresses systemic challenges people and pets experiencing poverty face.

Brandon Dyce, President/CEO of Pet Community Center, stated: "The Humane World for Animals grant comes at a pivotal time: with the holidays approaching and many families struggling with rising costs, our Food Security Program can continue being a lifeline for families facing hard times, ensuring that thousands of bowls stay full and families stay whole.”

Dyce added, “Statistics show that 20 million pets in the US are in crisis, with many more hovering just above or near poverty. In addition, studies have revealed that nearly 70% of pets in the US have never seen a veterinarian.  We are in a time when people across the US are struggling to afford basic pet necessities such as veterinary care, pet food, and supplies. 

“Already this year, we’ve delivered nearly 29 tons of free pet food to families in Nashville. This grant from Humane World for Animals will allow Pet Community Center to serve even more pets in our community who are in need—at a time when help is so desperately needed. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Humane World for Animals for the recognition, the grant, and for making it possible for us to expand our outreach and impact.”

Pet Community Center’s Food Security Program started in 2022 as a community outreach program for families living in Nashville’s most underserved communities. Each week, Pet Community Center makes home deliveries to families in these areas, and the program has expanded to support mobile Second Harvest Food Bank pantries, host a monthly drive-thru pantry at Pet Community Center’s clinic, and partner with five area food banks to offer pet food in their facilities. The program has provided over 603,000 free pet food meals since its inception.

For more information about Pet Community Center, please visit: www.petcommunitycenter.org.

For more information about Humane World for Animals, please contact Jessica Hyder, State Director, Tennessee, at jhyder@humaneworld.org.

About Pet Community Center: 

Pet Community Center is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit veterinary clinic dedicated to strengthening the bond between people and their pets through accessible veterinary care and outreach programs. The organization provides spay/neuter services, wellness care, pet food security, and community outreach services to help keep pets healthy and with the families who love them.