There’s Roxie, Shawn’s spaniel who snores loudly from under the main office desk and whose coat is so satiny soft that everyone loves to pat her.
There’s Malfoy, Maxwell’s fluffy, golden husky who always seems to have an easy smile on his face.
There’s Rocky, David’s small, black dog standing on spindly legs with a short coat and exhibiting gentle manners.
There’s Damien, Angel’s cat with a fluffy coat and sealpoint markings.
All come to visit us at Patchwork, spending mornings here along with their human guardians. They are welcome, as long as they follow the same rules as our human guests: be respectful of the other people (and pets) who are here and be respectful of our building.
Pets provide comfort, peace, and unconditional love for their owners, and our morning guests are no different. We know several people who, though facing homelessness, choose not to stay in a shelter if it means that they will be separated from their pet. It’s no surprise. The support that they get from these pets is significant.
One of the special things about Patchwork is that it’s a place where people and their pets can come inside together. They can get out of the elements together for a few hours. They can get hydration together (coffee for the human, water for the pet), and they can get a snack together.
Anyone who has a pet, whether the pet is with them in the building or not, can pick up dog and cat food from our food pantry to help them care for their animals. All someone needs to do is ask at the food pantry door, though there is a limit of two packs of food per person per day.
We’ve been providing pet food for many years in an effort to make it so people don’t have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their pets. In the last couple months, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the amount of pet food we’re distributing. In fact, last month we distributed 200-300 pounds and could have distributed more had we not run out.
If you’d like to help, you can donate additional pet food for us to distribute. It can be dropped off at Patchwork (100 Washington Ave) Monday-Thursday, 9 am-noon. Everyone’s furry friends thank you!